Ruinations War The Search for V'ger
by AlbertG
Summary: Star Trek-Battlestar Galactica 'Evolutions' Xover. The Armageddon conflict starts here in chapter 18! Now the Sinhindrea have come and the war begins. And what does B5 have to do with this?
1. Dealing with the Devil

NOTICE: THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE BUT MUST NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM.   
  
---------------------COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER NOTICE------------------  
First of all, neither Studio is responsible for the content of this story.  
  
This story, "Evolutions-Gleanings past and future" by Albert Green and using characters created by author Louis Miller, is a figment of this author's imagination. All Characters portrayed in this story, are fictional and do not reflect actual people, either living or deceased.  
  
"Star Trek", "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", "Star Trek: Voyager", and "Star Trek: First Contact", and all related Star Trek related material, its characters and certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television shows and movies, may be or are registered trademarks of, and may be or are copyrighted by Paramount Studios and whatever Corporation it may or may not be owned by.  
  
"Battlestar Galactica", it's characters, and certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television show, past present of near future, may be or are registered trademarks of, and may be or are copyrighted by the Universal Studios Corporation and any new owners in the future.  
  
There are certain technologies and characters present that are my creation, so if you don't recognize certain names, characters, etc, this is the reason why.  
  
  
THIS STATEMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THE STORY 'Evolutions-Gleanings past and future.' IF DISTRIBUTED. THIS STORY IS FREE OF CHARGE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM. THIS DEDICATION MUST ACCOMPANY ANY DISTRUBUTION OF THIS STORY.****

**Dedication:**

**Again I have to thank Louis Miller for his use of the USS Khe Sahn and the personnel onboard said ship.  He also coined the name 'Ciona' which is going to be appearing far more often as this and the next story begins.   Thanks to Luis Silva for the many questions related to 'the other side' of the coin, "A Universe of Change".  Those questions have helped to define this one a little better.  Also, thanks to Neil Gartner of "Farscape:  The Lost Warrior" series.  His comments have inspired me to new heights with the Voyager crew.  Thanks folks.**

**Comments:  **

**This story previews the upcoming V'ger search by the USS Voyager.  The Cylons have gotten worse and the Borg make a guest appearance here also.  However, you will notice that I have concentrated a lot more on the ST part rather than the BG portion.  There is a method to my madness as you will see at the end of this story.  By the way, Worf will enter the picture soon as well as Thomas Riker.  I hope you enjoy it and as per usual, comments and critiques are welcomed.**

**Prelude**

**USS ENTERPRISE-E:**

**Time: 2 months earlier**

Captain Janeway watched with intense interest the moment she saw Commander Cain sniff the air ever so cautiously. She was about to ask the man what was wrong, when Captain Kagth entered the conference room decked out in full regalia and the new Wildfire insignia plastered on the left side of his vest.

"Captain Kagth, it's you," Cain laughed. "I thought I smelled you coming down the hall."

"Cain, it is good you're an old man," Kagth retorted. "Otherwise I would be compelled to kill you."  The Klingon smiled. Cain was older than he was, but due to the transporter accident he looked like he was in his late thirties, early forties-the perfect image of a true command warrior.  _The perfect Human _Kagth thought.  _It is good that he is Colonial and not Federation otherwise he would be ruined by now_.

Janeway simply rolled her eyes. Those two were becoming the best of friends. What that meant for the universe only God knew.

Both men slapped each one on the other's shoulder and sat down.

Picard waited patiently for everyone to be seated before he began. The doors close and were then sealed. Two guards stationed themselves in front of the doors to make sure they were not disturbed.

"Captains," Picard started. "Starfleet Command and the Klingon Empire Joint Operations have designated the people in this room to be the spearhead of a first strike against the heart of the Cylon base located in the Katasi star system.  We have waited because we needed time to organize the ships and materials to be an effective force against the sheer power the Cylons will throw into this fight.  Our objective is to destroy the subspace weapon at any and all costs.  We cannot allow them to repeat the brutal assault that was done against the planet Romulus.  The Romulan Empire has been effectively neutralized and it is clear we are next on their list. The _Enterprise-E _and my battle group, along with the Fifth Klingon Attack fleet will wedge an opening allowing the Wildfire group to attack and destroy the weapon. Then elements of both governments will eliminate all opposition.  Our second objective is to damage or destroy the factory complex rendering it inoperative."

There was absolute silence in the room. The possibility for success was remote. The Cylon warships were gathered and they knew that an attack was imminent. They would be prepared and thousands of lives would be lost.

Captain Janeway stood up. "It's not as bad as the picture we've just painted, everyone. We understand our weaknesses. Many of our Captains and command staff have graduated directly from the Dominion wars and are, shall we say, a touch rash in their actions.  The same thing goes for the Klingons.  They're not fully seasoned, but they are aggressive that's exactly what we need in this coming war. This isn't a fight for conquest but for our very survival.  There can be no negotiations with these robots and they have made their mandate quite clear.  We must be as resolved in our hearts as they are in their programming.  Plus, we will have a little surprise in store for them.  Also, know that extermination is not their end goal.  They want to capture and control the children of V'ger and we cannot allow that to happen.  If they achieve that goal, everything that we've worked and died for will be tossed away.  They can't get those kids, which is why the Battlestars_ Galactica _will not be in this conflict.  Neither will _Voyager_ or the Klingon vessel _Swift Hunter_.  Their mission will be to find the children before the Cylons do. The working first quantum slipstream drives will be installed on all three ships in about five weeks and together they will find the children.  We have the general directions provided by Q and will find them.  But to do that, we will have to go through the territory of the Yongi-Sinhidrea.  By the way they were described by Q, he's not happy that we're going there. Evidently they make our encounters with the Borg seem like a warm-up exercise." 

She shivered as she recalled the things Q had told her concerning these creatures. 

"Commander Sheba will be in charge of the Battlestars _Pegasus_ which will also serve as the command center for the Wildfire strike," said Captain Picard. "Commander Cain will penetrate the Cylon command center and attempt to do as much damage as possible while we engage the enemy ships and the factory complex.

"Excuse me, Captain Picard," Cain said. "I don't attempt things, I will do it." The man was smarting from the un-intentioned insult. 

"I apologize, Commander," Picard responded rather coldly. 

There was only one way to deal with someone like Cain. Direct with no holds barred.  His personality was too willful.  He was like a young Kirk without the restraint. 

The Head of Starfleet Command, Fleet Admiral Necheyev flanked by two Admirals and a small army of attachés, entered the room.  "Sorry for being late," she said without preamble.   "These are the details…"

The Katasi Conflict-The Ruinations war 

**_Chapter I_**

**Time:  The present**

President Adama sat heavily in his chair onboard the _Galactica_ while his wife rubbed his temples gently.  Again he thanked his God that he was wise enough to marry this woman.  She was his comfort in his old age and when the time finally came to rest, she would be there, sharing everything with him.  Despite whatever came, he had her, and the knowledge that they would not go down without a fight.  When it came down to it, it wasn't much, but just enough to give him faith. 

President's log yahren twenty-three, day seventeen, Adama reporting: I am frightened. I fear for my people. I fear for my brethren who have given so much to help us. The stakes are so much higher now. Never did I imagine that a war, a brutal but simple war nevertheless would come to this. Now there's a possibility that these Cylons might ascend to godhood.  And what will we do then?  I have no idea in what shape we will be, but I cannot believe that this is the end.  There is more in this universe that we can imagine.  Not the Q, not the ships of lights, not Count Iblis, can shake my faith in this.  For all those others who have died in this foolish, foolish war, I can only say that we will strive to make sure that you have not died in vain. 

_So to my children, to my posterity I can say that freedom is precious and is not to be taken lightly. It is a horrible fact, but a true one nevertheless. The hot blood of heroes keeps us free.  And that same blood keeps us in bondage.  Until we can lay down our arms in peace we will remain in bondage.  Until that time comes we will fight, not because we want to but because we have too.  It is a horrible answer to a horrible problem but it's the best solution we have for now._

_These memories are for the future to contemplate and argue over.  Whether we were right or wrong in our endeavor will be discussed in the future generations-if any. For me, it will not matter what conclusions are derived from this but I pray my people will have the opportunity to argue over the semantics.  We have united to destroy the Cylon menace before it destroys us and I pray with every bit of power that I possess that we will succeed._

"President Adama," the intercom blared breaking him out of his contemplations. "Your presence is requested on the bridge."

It never ended. 

He slowly got up, embraced his wife and moved towards the lift.

As soon-to-be-retired President Adama moved towards the lift, every crewmember that looked at him stood more erect, somehow appearing taller as though he had somehow imparted a bit of his own strength to them. He felt humbled by it.  After all these yahrens, they still expected him to pull out a miracle in order to somehow save them all.  

He wasn't a miracle worker, merely a man carrying the most heavy of burdens.  Adama was afraid.  He was afraid to give them hope during a time when they needed it the most.  How he had gotten to this point was something that plagued him more and more recently.  He was old now.  The wisdom was there as was the knowledge, still intact, but the body was wearing down.  He was past retirement age, but he couldn't yet because of the people.  To the people he was a pillar, a rock that could survive the ages.  But he didn't feel like it.  The Cylon Empire was more powerful than ever and he feared that one mistake, one miscalculation and Mankind would become extinct.  There had been times when those fears had nearly consumed him. 

There was no time for this introspection, this doubt that ate at him.  _Victory is lost first in the mind _he repeated to himself.  _Apollo and the others are more than capable of defending our people no matter what happens to me_.  _I'm not foolish enough to believe that I alone can make the difference._

"Is that truly what you believe, Adama, old friend?"

Adama whirled around, finding himself suddenly in a place completely unfamiliar to him.  Where was he?  Nothing was the same.  This was no ship; it was a planet.  One moment he was in the lift with his ever-present security guards and the next… 

He was alone on a distant unknown world.  There were three moons overhead of this desolate place.  There was almost no light filtering thru the menacing clouds; a kind of twilight covered the entire planet.  There was no apparent plant or animal life around and the wind blew furiously enough to make him squint against the grit battering his tired eyes.  And it was cold, cold enough to make him shiver.  He blew into his hands to keep warm, then remembered that hated voice.

"Iblis," he yelled.  "Show yourself!"  Temporarily his hatred replaced the cold battering him.  
  


A dark shape slowly formed in front of him, slowly taking on the appearance of a winged hunter, which finally took Humanoid form.  It was a creature of the pit, covering itself in the innocence of light.  

"I am glad that you remember me, old friend," the creature said trying to imply true concern.  "The years have not been kind to you. I can feel it.  Death has placed his hands upon you Adama, but it has not yet snatched you away.  But you can feel its claws encircling you, can't you?" he asked smiling.

"Iblis, what do you want?" the Colonial asked tiredly.  "Why have you persisted in hounding a people that you consider lower than insects?"

Because you are here," Iblis whispered shaking the planet with his fury. "You should have been mine, but you even took _her_ away from me and that is something that I cannot permit to go unpunished."  

Adama's fear was broken by that revelation.   _This super-powered being was still smarting because Sheba was taken from his dark embrace?  Was he truly that petty?_  "We rejected you and we still reject you."

"And look at where it's gotten you, President Adama."  Iblis moved away slowly and with a grand gesture, pointed towards the sky.  "You're old when you didn't have to be.  Your people are about to be destroyed and Humanity will cease to exist because you persisted in coming to find the lost thirteenth colony.  The Federation, the Klingons, none of the others will prevail against my children.  Blood will flow throughout the quadrant and it will be your fault.  And I will watch as my children take the heads of your children, your Federation friends and your wife before they collect yours.  There is no hope for peace unless you decide what you want right now."

Adama was afraid now for an entirely different reason.  It seemed as though Iblis was offering him a deal and with that revelation, his fear doubled.  

"I will give you life and youth Adama, just like Cain," he said, smiling evilly.  "Your children will live and your wife will be beautiful and young forever, if you want.  Your people will live in peace and the Cylons will trouble you no more."

"At what price?"

"At what price?"  The not-man's smile was typically grandiose. "There's always a price, Adama.   Does it matter what _it_ is?"  

"There are things that come at too high a price, even in order to save the galaxy."

"The Alpha quadrant will burn, Adama.  There's nothing that will change that, but your people can live, because I choose to let them live-if you agree with my price."

"And that is?"

Iblis moved closer, almost touching nose to nose with the President, which made the man back away in revulsion.  "Your absolute allegiance and the life of Sheba and your son, Commander Apollo of the Battlestars _Galactica_," Iblis told him without cracking a smile.

Adama's heart nearly stopped beating.  "Never."

"Then you will all die horribly.  I promise this, old man."

"We will not submit to you, ever," answered Adama, surprised that his voice had gained some of its strength.  "You're not worthy of worship."

"I am God," the creature hissed at the defiant Human standing in front of him.  Around them both, the sky had darkened and there was the sound of thunder in the distance.  His facial features never changed, but Adama could detect the shadows beginning to engulf Iblis as his anger grew.

"You are not God, not even a pale imitation.  You have power but even you are limited.   If you were God we wouldn't even be having this conversation.  Remember so many years ago, when you ask me what did I know of God?  I know that God is not paralyzed with pettiness as you are.  It has been said that absolute power corrupts absolutely, but that is simply Human understanding.  But you fall within that definition; therefore you're nowhere near what God should be.  We cannot, will not ever submit to one such as you."

"That's telling him," came a soft voice off to the side.  Both Adama and his captor turned towards the new voice.

"Q," Iblis smirked, after he recovered from his own surprise.  "Or should I say Amanda?"  For a second it seemed as if he wanted to embrace her, but stopped short as he looked deeply into her hooded eyes.  "What's the matter with Q?  Is he too afraid to come?  And where is my young friend Trelane.  I so hoped he would be trailing you.  Tell me, have you seduced him yet?"

Despite his taunting, Adama realized that the creature was surprised to see this young girl instead of the arrogant male who also called himself Q.  

"If you're worried about him, then maybe you should go look for him.  He's been quite busy," she answered.  Adama felt the power in her voice.

Completely unfazed, Iblis responded to her taunt.  "He can't do anything to me."

"It doesn't matter," she responded.  Ignoring, him she turned to Adama.  "You're correct.  He isn't God, not even close.  He wouldn't know That –Which-Is-God, if that Entity walked up and bit him on the butt.  He's a trickster and a fraud.  His own pettiness and fears blind him to the truth."

Enraged, Iblis began to draw the gathering storm into himself.  "You know nothing of God!  If it were permitted, I would destroy you now."  His image began to waver as he lost partial control of his physical manifestation.

"You are wrong," she countered.  " Besides God doesn't need permission.  I am Q and I am the first of my kind to glimpse the truth.  And understand this, coward.  The Humans were closer to the truth than we are."

"I am_ Q_," he mocked as he looked at Adama.  "She says that as though it means something."  He began laughing, a truly hideous sound.  "They're nothing but pitiful, castrated beings with delusions of grandeur.  Don't depend on them to save you Adama, because they won't.  Only I can do that."

The Colonial President watched the exchange with passionate interest.  This seemingly young girl stood her ground against one of the galaxy's most vile creatures and that somehow gave him strength.  "I will not accept your 'deal', Iblis.  It comes at too high a price.  If we lose then so be it, but we will never lick the boots of the Destroyer.  We will do everything in own power to stop you." 

Adama expected Iblis to become enraged and kill him where he stood.  Instead the alien creature merely smiled hideously and folded his white cape around him.  His eyes turned absolutely black.

"I hoped you would say something like that," he whispered in a voice that could be heard across the galaxy.  "I would have hated keeping my promise to you.  Life is very short, old friend," he said as he slowly faded away.  Live what short time you have left wisely."   

Adama was so concerned about Iblis that he, for a second, had forgotten about Amanda who now touched him on the shoulder.  Startled, he turned to face the young blond, female Q.  

"I admire your bravery," she said to him.  "It would have been nothing for him to kill you, yet you stood up to him and interfered with his plans.  Now, because of your defiance, he hates you and all of your people that much more."

"I believe that you misunderstand him, Amanda.  It's not just me. He hates all life, everything.  There's nothing for him in this existence and he will destroy all that he touches because there is nothing that can touch his heart.  Look around you young woman, his heart is as empty as this planet we're on.  How can we fight against something like that?"

"Merely by trying with all your might," came the answer.  "You choose what you are.  Don't stand back and simply watch like the Q have done for so long.  Act, search and grow.  Fight the emptiness with the passion in your soul.  Strive to become everything that the Q and the others have forgotten."

"She is right, you know," said a voice from behind, surprising both of them.  It originated from a tall man with regal manner that permeated his entire being.  

"Who are you?" Adama asked.  Suddenly, this isolated, lonely sphere seemed to have people popping up from everywhere.

"You can call me John."

The name struck Adama immediately.  "You're the one my son spoke of."

"And Starbuck," he confirmed.  "Yes, Amanda is correct.  So are you.  And that knowledge gives you strength.  Terrible times are coming and you and your companions are the only ones who can stop it."

"But, I don't understand," Adama said.  "Why can't you stop this? You have enough power to stop Iblis where he stands.   This entire war and the countless millions that will be killed can be stopped now by reining Iblis in."

"There are complications," John explained.  "We cannot interfere directly with lesser cultures for the same reasons why the Federation created the Prime Directive and you, your Principles of First Contact with Alien Cultures Edict." 

"But Iblis is one of you," Adama protested.  "You claim to have him under a leash, under control, but he continues to destroy countless millions with his manipulations and lies.  And you do nothing, but restrict his movements, slap him on his wrists and let him go his way."

"And what would you have us do, kill him?"

"No, not necessarily.  But I have to wonder exactly what type of life is of value to you?  Ours?  Simple mortals whose time in this universe can be measured in nano-microns as compared to your almost infinite life spans?  You could have stopped him long before this, yet you didn't.  And the result has been untold misery for beings you consider at the least dust motes, and at most some type of pet."

"Life is sacred to us.  You wouldn't understand."

"There is a price for every choice we make," Adama said.  "When he is free, there is suffering.  Iblis should have been put away like the madden animal he is, but you let him loose in the universe.  That makes you responsible.  You have said that 'I didn't understand'.  What I have come to understand is that although you do care for us, the life of one of yours is worth more than the billions that have died as a result of this evil running free.  I suspect that you, like so many of us are afraid of what lies beyond and you can't accept that even if a cancer like Iblis must be cut out."

"My parents became Human and were killed by the Q because they were afraid of what they represented," Amanda said.  "Then they went out of their way to keep Quinn alive when he wanted to die.  The members of the Continuum were terrified of what might happen.  I believe that is a fault of existing such a long time.   We've become afraid of the inevitability of death.  It would be something new different."

"Death comes to us all.  After all, we are not God, only His creations."

"It's a discussion for another time, Mr. President. John looked at Adama as if peering into his very soul.  "Young you may be, but you do have a touch of insight."

"It's called the Human equation, John," Amanda answered.  "They're learning what we have so long ago forgotten."

"We will deal with Iblis," John answered with conviction.  "At the correct time.  I promise."

"But there is another difficulty."  

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"As well you should," Amanda whispered.

John gave a sympathetic nod.  "There's a problem with time."

"Time?  I don't understand."

"There is something called a temporal cold war being fought by beings like yourself." 

"Beings like me," repeated Adama, tasting the words in his mouth.  Nodding, he understood.  "You mean us lesser beings," he said somewhat sarcastically.

"Yes, although I wouldn't put it quite like that.  Things have been changing quite rapidly since the treaty of Organia a hundred yahrens ago.  Temporal waves have changed this universe in ways that are even taxing our considerable skills to keep up with.  The Klingons are just one example of the radical changes occurring."

"Captain Archer's _Enterprise_ is another," Amanda added.

The Colonial didn't know about the Captain Archer or the details of the other references, but he remained silent as the young woman continued.  

The Cylon Empire is another example of numerous changes we've detected.  Originally there were cyborgs and when a wave front hit, they became the robotic entities that you know now."

"But that means that things are changing around us constantly and we know nothing about it."

"True.  But _we_ are aware of it and can do very little because we are ourselves affected by those changes.  And we can't stop those who are fighting this war without causing incredible damage ourselves.  But we are ourselves being changed each time an alteration occurs.   The Organians could not enforce the treaty because conditions in the universe continued-continues to change and those alterations are extending to other realities as well.

The implications of what was being said to him were truly horrible.  "But how did this begin?"

"Like most things, it began with the paved road of good intentions.  In the twenty-seventh century, earth chronology, the war that began in the twentieth was coming to a bloody end.  An unstoppable enemy had ruthlessly dominated this galaxy and two others.  Earth was finally overrun and destroyed, as was Vulcan and a hundred other worlds.  In this galaxy there were only a few free, widely scattered planets left and they were being slowly battered into submission.  A desperate plan was conceived, something that itself was so vile that the resistance leaders had refused to even contemplate its use until then."

"They saved themselves by using a temporal displacement device that allowed them to travel seventeen thousand years into the past.  There they traced the enemy's planet of origin and detonated a bio-transgenetic weapon coded specifically for the enemies DNA, effectively committing genocide.  Then using a cascading subspace resonator, the wormhole technology used by the enemy to travel throughout this galaxy and the others were activated at once.  In the resultant feedback, all of the devices but one were destroyed."

"All but one," Adama repeated.  "All but the point of origin?"

"Very good.  This device was the only one left in the universe, which remains on Kobol until this day.  That stargate is the only one in existence."

"The star circle!"

"Yes," John confirmed.  "Time and the events had been changed.  Those who created the temporal device planned, of course, to use the technology for good but the temptation was too alluring.  A war broke out and the winners began to use the devices to shape this galaxy in their image.  However there are others have fought against these changes and this is the main thrust of the temporal cold war.  And there have been major causalities."

"But without the threat from the enemy, the Humans, Vulcans and countless others social development developed completely differently.  Wormhole and hyperspace travel was never developed but warp and other FTL technologies excelled.  However the universe hates a vacuum and with the Goa'uld no longer present, another took its place; the Ciona Imperixe.  

"The Federation and Klingons have become a major threat to the future plans of the temporal guild.  So they attempted to repeat their previous success by destroying the effectiveness of the two empires, having them go to war against one another.  The most effective ploy was to send the _Enterprise-C_ back into time, creating an incident in which the Federation would be at war with the Klingons, effectively breaking both organizations and blunting the future successes of both.  But the others fought back, re-directing it towards the _Enterprise-D_ and together the timeline was corrected, more or less.  There were unforeseen difficulties, however."  

"The instant the _Enterprise-C_ once more entered the temporal opening, fractures in the time-line occurred as a nexus formed at this critical point.  Q and Quinn were able to mend most of the fractures before they became un-repairable, but two were lost and ripped their way into other universes completely unrelated to this one.  There was also another ship lost.  In an infinity of corrections, three were lost.

"If the Q couldn't completely repair these rips in the neo-quantum strata without permanently damaging the timelines, no one else would even attempt it," John added.  "Even we have limits."

Adama looked dejected.  "Then we are on our own."

"No.  You are not alone.  Within our restrictions we will guide you.   A suggestion," he added.  "Beware the Imperixe and the Borg."

"And I will give you a parting gift," Amanda added before he could ask anything more.  Tigh is alive and safe with Captain Amelia Earhart.  Ask Captain Janeway about her."   

Both Amanda and John smiled and in a flash of light, Adama was gone.

"We should have told him about the Yongi-Sinhidrea."

"We will," John said.  "When it time comes to close that particular universal rift forever."  He sighed as he remembered the quantum fracture _Enterprise-Galaxy_ class, the _Enterprise-Ambassador_ class and the Klingons chasing them, entered the temporal-spatial rift, these copies reversed polarity with their universe of origin.  "If those people and those ships were to come back our home universe it would negate them in a very spectacular manner in favor for the original templates already present here.  Their ancestors could return but not them or the ships that originally went with them.  The _Enterprises-C_ and _D_ must not be allowed to return to this reality.  It's a true shame, really."  

Sadly, Amanda shook her head in complete agreement.  "Yes, it is."

***


	2. Picking and Choosing your Fights

                                 **Chapter  II**

President Adama found himself once more inside the lift surrounded by his three security guards.  They had no clue that anything had been amiss he noticed.  But it was obvious that they had noticed that he looked pale. 

"Mr. President, are you okay?" The primary guard asked.  

"Yes, everything's fine," he said absently as he exited the lift.  Now inside the Command Bridge, he looked at it as though seeing it for the first time.  The combination of old and new surprised him.  Gone were the oversized support struts and the deep red lights.  The whole room had been streamlined, re-organized.  Now the command chairs were centered with a three hundred sixty degree viewing area and a much larger viewing window made of reinforced transparent aluminum.  There was an enlarged screen directly in front of the command chair.  

Seeing him, Captain Apollo and Sire Forsen immediately moved towards him

"It almost looks like an entirely different ship," said the excited Captain.  "Father. I…" he stopped, seeing his father's distressed look.  "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes.  I had a talk with Count Iblis."

An immediate look of alarm started over Apollo's face.  "Here?  Where is he?"  

"Don't be concerned," his father admonished.  "He wasn't actually here, but I was moved to another reality, another world."

"Why?"  His father's answer didn't even astonish him, not after hearing of Q.  Iblis had the same power.

"Because he had a desire to inflict more pain.  However, he revealed more of himself than he intended to."

"In what way?" Forsen asked.  "Why would he contact you, now?"

I believe he wants revenge on me personally, by punishing those that I love.  He want me to sacrifice you and Sheba in order to overt this war.  He wanted me to become a willing follower of his.  I said no."

"And what did he do?"

"Nothing," his father answered.  "I gave him the answer that he wanted to hear.  He's consumed by anger and hatred of all things not under his control and what he can't control he need to destroy.  He's a lost soul."

Adama saw the hostile look that the future President bestowed upon him.  "You sound as though you feel sorry for that monster," Forsen alleged.   

"No, I don't feel sorry for him," Adama countered.  "He's chosen to be this way and the consequences of his own destruction will be upon his own head.  But he attempted to fill me with despair and he failed.  Instead, I'm filled with hope.  John and Amanda have given me hope."

The name Amanda meant nothing to either man, the name John struck Apollo like lightning.  "You saw John?"

"Yes.  They told me that Tigh is alive and well."  The glow on his face was unmistakable.  "When I needed it, I now have been reminded once more that no matter how bad the situation appears, there's always hope."

"Good because we need some," Forsen announced matter-of-factly.

The President caught the hint.  "Is that why you called me to the bridge?"

"Yes.  Were having difficulties with Commander Cain.  He's insisting that the Wildfire squadron attack the central plexus directly."

"He will stick to the plan."  Adama was angry, as angry as has he had been frightened confronting Iblis a short time earlier.  "Or, I will relieve him of duty.  Where is he?"

That was exactly what I told him, but I'm sure he dismissed it.  And that's another problem.  He's too arrogant and that going to get us all killed.  He doesn't listen."

"That always been his problem.  He's a military genius but when he will not follow orders, I will draw the line.   Where is he?" Adama repeated.

"He's on his way right now." 

***

Four Federationstarships continued their patrols along the Cardassian-Federation border, newly established in the wake of the Dominion war.  These days it was quiet.  Cardassia was no longer an Empire as such.  The war had taken an ugly twist as their Dominion associates had turned on them, killing tens of millions of citizens in retaliation for a relatively small number of the military who changed sides once certain truths had surfaced.  The Cardies had come to the brutal realization that hadn't been allies, but simply considered as minor subjects to the Founders of the Dominion.  The planet survived but the government was still recovering and the Imperial fleet was a shell of its former self.  There were still pockets of starvation in certain areas of the planet but the much-coveted Federation replication technology was correcting that problem.  Then there was the re-establishment of ties-much friendlier ties- with their neighbor Bajor.  That was a challenge in itself, as the Cardassians had subjugated them for decades, under the worst of conditions.  There was still intense hatred on both sides but Cardassia had sent envoys and with open minds on both sides, anything was possible.  

Now there were border incursions happening on both sides more and more often by the Orion Cartels and small time smugglers.  Several deaths had occurred and the Cardassian defense force was hard-pressed to stop the infiltrations.  Still, it was their territory and they would protect it with everything they possessed.  And they had little to fear from the Federation, Klingons or the Romulans-what was left of them.  In fact, the Cardi government quietly welcomed these little border patrols.

Captain Ludmia Putnam, commanding the _Nova_-class USS _Peking,_ raised one eyebrow when the large Cardassian _Galor_ shadowing them, moved into an intercept course.  Its shields were down and weapons systems were non-active, therefore it represented a low threat.  Besides, she knew the Gul of this vessel fairly well.

"Hail them," she ordered.

"Hailing frequencies open," came the swift response from the Comms officer. 

"Greetings Gul Dachat," the Captain said.  "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm just here to offer friendly conversation," the tall bone-faced Humanoid answered pleasantly.  Then he laughed.  "And to make sure that the Federation doesn't violate our space."  He seemed to eye the dark-haired, green-eyed Captain with more than just casual interest. 

Putnam nodded; respectful ignoring the almost-leers, then began smirking.  "And here I thought that you were after some more of this Rigellian wine.   My mistake."

The Gul responded quickly since this was the reason why he was here in the first place.  He and his officers had developed a taste for the beverage.   "No, no," he answered.  "You're here and in the name of mutual cooperation between our two sovereign governments, I will accept your generous gift."

"I'll send it right over."  The Captains mood turned sober.  "I've heard rumors that the Cylons have requested that you sign a non-aggression pact with them.  Is there any truth to this?"

"None whatsoever," Dachat stated.  "Those robots have invaded our territories and destroyed several of our transports and freighters deep inside our territories.  Our government is in an uproar.  Of course, the Cylons insisted that those were mistakes that will never happen again.  Their rumored association with the Borg is something that has disturbed our Government also.  So our Leadership has decided to remain neutral.  This is not our fight."

Putnam could tell that the Gul didn't believe what he had just said for a second.   But the Cardassians were scared that the weapon used against the Romulans would be used against them.  That itself was a strong deterrent.   But equally important was their hatred of Humanity and it had been shown that the Cardassians, Romulans, Humans and the Klingons had at least some common genetic history and that meant that the Cylons would eventually turn their electronic eyes towards them also.   There was no such thing as neutrality-they knew it and so did the Cylons.  And with the Borg as allies then the entire Alpha and Beta quadrants were in danger of slaughter or assimilation.  Neutrality was not a long-term option.  But it would give them time to strengthen their defenses.

"It is my hope that they decide not to use that weapon against us."

"But they might." 

"There is that possibility," he admitted.  The he stared hard into her eyes trying to convey the hidden message within. "Things change, Captain.  And so do opinions."

"Captain, long range sensors have picked up three ships," her first officer interrupted.  "Triangular formation, three hundred million kilometers, closing fast."

"Can we get a positive ID this time?"  This was the fourth instance of unknown targets closing on their position. 

"We're attempting to burn thru the scattering field.  Got 'em.  They're Cylon, two Hunter-Killers and a larger one.  The configuration's on the larger is roughly the same but four times larger…it's a _Destroyer_."

The Captain stood up to get a better view of the screen.  They were definitely Cylon, but why were they so far from their usual patrols?  Usually their raids were much closer to their territories, not out here in the middle of nowhere.  Which meant here.   
  


"Captain Putnam?"

"Yes, Gul Dachat."

"We have them on sensors.  Be advised that we will do nothing unless they violate our space.  Good luck."

"Thank you," she answered.  "Open a channel to our support.  Let them know what's happening."

"Yes, Ma'am."  A few seconds later: "They're vectoring in on our position now."

Engagements against the Cylon enemy had become more and more frequent in the last few weeks as Alpha quadrant ships defended and attacked large numbers of _Raiders_ that had harassed shipping and refugees struggling to get out of the line of fire.  Cardassian and Bajoran ships had been attacked several times but those had been sporadic strikes at best.

H-Ks accompanied by a _Destroyer_ they may be, but that was not enough to confront three _Defiants_ and their larger, more powerful _Nova_ sister.  The _Nova_-class starship patterned after the popular _Defiants_, were the long-distance, more comfortable, quantum-torpedo carrier gunships.  They contained a third more firepower and were closer in appearance to the so-called typical designed  starship.  As with all Federation starships there was a fight whether to build it on not considering, that the _Nova-B_ was strictly a warship like the _Defiant_ models.  More and more the Federation was straddling that fine division between their true charter-and warmongering.  At least that was the opinion by people who weren't out here fighting for their lives in the first place.

Personally, the Captain thought the whole thing was foolish.  They had enemies out here, very dangerous ones.  Why shouldn't they have dedicated warships to handle the conflicts that appear to be becoming more and more frequent with each passing stardate?  The purity and innocence of exploration was stupid when the Borg were prowling the space lanes looking for fresh meat.  They were moving into new areas of space where circumstances demanded that colonies be protected and the starships as well.  _No one intended to start a fight with the Borg or the Dominion-even though in that case we did very arrogantly violate their territory_, she had to admit.   But with things like the one-eyed, robot heads, roaming space attacking anything that even resembled Humanity at any given opportunity, she was glad to have a _Nova-B_ and the _Defiants_ in the field.  

Like right now.

_Three ships in the open-it's not right.  The targets are too tempting_ Putnam thought.  "Tactical.  Perform a tachyon pulse and lets see what happens."

"Yes, Ma'am," Tactical answered.  Coordinating with the other Fed ships, they quickly blanketed the area with tachyon particles. The first of three_-cloaked_ _Hellions_ Basestar appeared on the scanners.  It was almost on top of them.  

With the discovery by the Federation ships, the advantage of surprise was lost and the rearmost, massive Cylon carrier de-cloaked, spewing large numbers of _Raiders_, Hunter-Killers and several _Destroyers_.

_My God._

Putnam never heard her voice saying 'fire' even though she remembered giving the command to use everything they had at the closest Basestar.  Three-dozen high yield quantum torpedoes impacted on the still partially cloaked Cylon vessel since there was a lag time of four seconds for a Basestar to de-cloak and its shields were not yet active.  The antimatter projectiles slammed into re-enforced armor, tearing large holes in the surface of the upper portion of the ship.  Entire sections of the superstructure glowed, and then vaporized as the combine firepower of three mini-warships pounded the oversized carrier.  The ship lost lateral control and began an uncontrolled tumble.

"They've never sent a carrier force this far out," her First Officer yelled over the increasing din.  "We have to run!"

She was in complete agreement.  They were totally outmatched and outgunned.  The smaller Cylon fighters hadn't even gotten into range yet.  If she could help it they wouldn't.  "Prepare for emergency warp!"

Already the _Defiants_ were moving out and away.  The _Peking_ rocked violently as anti-proton beams from the other two Basestars raked the shields, which promptly winked out.  She let loose another savage volley of photon torpedoes at a rate of four per second at the next closest Basestar bearing down on her.  The incredible explosions totally enveloped the attacking ship.   

It didn't even slow it down. 

Some type of missile, as big as the USS _Yorkshire_ itself, over-ran it in warp and had exploded with the power of a directed five hundred megaton nuclear strike.  The ship disappeared in fire just as it reached warp two.  The fourth_ Defiant _had been engaged by three Cylon _Destroyers_ and was being chopped to pieces by the large ships.  However it was giving as well as it got even as its warp core breeched.  It took the nearest Cylon warship with it in death.

The fight had lasted less than a minute.  Only the_ Peking _and the _Quatran_ had survived the encounter so far, but the enemy hadn't given up yet.  There were three missiles tracking them, the same type that had killed the _Yorkshire_.   When they had gone to warp, so had those missiles.

"Our shields lasted two seconds, two seconds!"  Putnam's Tactical officer was still stunned by the ruthlessness of the attack.  "The fighters are vectoring in on the _Galor _which was in a brutal fight of its own-s_o much for borders_.  "They've called for help."

"Who's responding?"

"Every Cardassian in the area, all of them.  The Cylons are taking up station keeping at the border and releasing more ships.  Look's like they're there to stay, Ma'am."

How long before we have our shields back," she yelled.  It was getting hard to breathe.  The air filters were having a hard time clearing out the smoke from the bridge."

"The shield generators burned out completely.  They'll have to be replaced."

"What about the missiles?  Time to impact?"

"Thirty seconds.  These are the same type that tried to take out _Voyager_ in the Mariposa system."

That was not what the crew wanted to hear. 

"Lock on a full spread of quantums and photon torpedoes on those missiles," she quickly ordered.  "Get me the _Quatran._"

The Navigational officer, looking haggard appeared on screen.  There was an ugly gash on his forehead.   Behind him, she could see that the bridge was a mess with the dear spewed everywhere. "Here, sir."

It was clear that most of the bridge officers were dead.  "Do you have weapons?"

"Yes, but only one quantum launcher. But we can't keep maximum warp for long.  Maybe another three minutes, no more."

A quick look her tactical officer who scanned the ship confirmed what he had said.  "Lock onto the missile tracking you."

"Locking…locked."

"Use a full spread…and fire."

"Firing," he said as twelve quantum torpedoes streaked from the rear of the fleeing ships.  A second later the _Peking_ did the same thing.  A dozen torpedoes peppered the first missile, overwhelmed its shields and detonating it.  However, the second volley wasn't as successful.

_Peking's_ Captain jumped from her seat staring in disbelief.  "It dodged!"

"Fifteen seconds."

"Ready a second volley, direct and proximity configuration.  Fire when ready."

"Ready and firing."

Again the missile dodged the incoming projectiles, but in the process it ran into one of the torpedoes.  There was no apparent effect as the missile's shielding resisted the impact.  However it was knocked off trajectory.

"It's re-acquiring us."

"Revise estimate.  How long?" 

"Eighty seconds."

"How many more torpedoes do we have"?

"Six left."

_Enough of this!  This is why we need warships._  "Abandon ship," she ordered.  "Have the _Quatran _match speed withus for high warp transport_.  P_ick up as many of us and the pod as they can when it's safe."  At maximum warp, half the crew's life pods would not survive the transition and many of the crew wouldn't make it to the pods, but there was no choice.  The transporters would help.   She wanted to live, desperately so, but she wouldn't abandon her ship while her crewmembers were still onboard.  The _Quatran_ matched speed and course and both ships began to transport the crew from the _Peking_.  Others had ejected in pods.   Then the _Quatran's _warp engine failed and she dropped out of warp a few seconds later.

Twenty-one members including, Captain Putman didn't make it as the missile detonated in the center of the _Peking_ six seconds later.  There was just enough time to scream-

Two hours later, the _Quatran _began picking up survivors and the warp engines finally returned to life.

The First officer of the _Peking_ was now in charge of the crowded little ship.  From the scattered reports, the Cardassians were putting up fierce resistance against the Cylon warships, two more which just entered the sector.  The strategic importance was clear.  They wanted the area secured to mount a rear guard offensive should it be needed.  With the Cardassian border secured they would threaten a large portion of the Federation and Klingon territories by their mere presence.  The Federation could never ignore such an overt threat to its back door.

_Time had run out_ he realized.  _It's beginning now_.  Quickly, he briefed the crew and ordered a tight-beamed transmission into the heart of the Federation and _Deep Space Nine,_ which by this action, had just now directly pulled into the war.  The _Bajorans and the Cardies had_ _better clear up their differences fast_, he thought darkly.


	3. Of Chiefs and Braves

A quick note:  Before the V'ger saga starts,  I had to get this out first.  Please enjoy. 

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****

**_Chapter III_**

The Federation Starship _Voyager_ eased out of warp with a grace that belied its substantial power moving in between the _Galactica_ and the _Enterprise_ to take up station-keeping.  It had been delayed but that was understandable considering the circumstances.  Captain Picard waited patiently as the re-integration sequence completed itself inside the transporter room.

One of the Ensigns activated the artificial music, signaling the presence of a Command officer arriving.

"Admiral onboard!"  

Admiral Kathryn Janeway stepped smartly off the pads followed by five of her staff, and stood in front of the Captain of the _Enterprise-E_. "Permission to come aboard."

"Permission granted," Picard responded gladly.  He was smile intensely and she could tell that he was genuinely glad to see her.  "Congratulations, Admiral."

"Thank you."  There was a slight smirk in her answer.  She had turned it down once when she returned from the Delta quadrant.   She had to wind down first and take in everything that had happened in her seven years of exile.  She had a family now-the crew of the _Voyager_-and she wanted time to adjust being home.  But the war had put those plans on hold for now.  Now she was in charge of the entire Mariposian frontier and one of the key planners in this upcoming conflict.

"We have about twenty minutes before the meeting will began.   May we talk in your Ready room?"

"Of course, Admiral."

In silence, they both walked thru the bridge to Picard's private office.  Once inside, Picard gave her a warm hug and she responded in kind.  "It's about time, Admiral Janeway."

"I didn't expect to have to help orchestrate a war," she answered as she sat in the chair he offered her.   "And I expected to be calling _you_ Admiral first.  Why haven't you taken the promotion?" she asked.  "Are you afraid of giving up all this?" she asked pointing at the elaborate office space that comprised the Ready room. 

Picard smiled ruefully at her sarcastically spoken question.  "Someone," he said, "once told me-and I am paraphrasing this- that as long as I was in this chair, I could make a difference.  Do not let them promote you, do not do anything that can change this.  And right now I believe I can make that difference."

"I understand Jean-Luc, but there comes a time when the greater good is to move to something higher.  The Command staff needs you.  There have been so many good people that have been lost, lost to the Borg, the Dominion, and even those who where taken over by those parasites almost twelve years ago."

"The Imperixe."  That name still haunted him.

That incident had plagued his dreams for years.  Years after the incident in which he and Riker personally killed several high-ranking officers infected by alien creatures intent on conquering the Federation literally from the inside.  He tried to imagine what it was like to have something inside you controlling one's every move.  Then years later, he encountered the Borg and to his horror, he finally understood all too well.  It's a case of having too many Chiefs and not enough Braves, Kathryn," he explained.  "Our younger Captains are veterans of the Borg and Dominion conflicts.  They've been seasoned in battle, but Starfleet is so much more. And we are at a very delicate point in our history.    Right now, we need guidance from the upper echelons and in the trenches or we might tip into the abyss.  His thoughts fleetingly returned to another time and place.  "He understood this."

"Who?"

"James T. Kirk," he said to a shocked Janeway.  "You had just been lost when I personally met him."

Kathryn had no idea that he knew Kirk.  We've been so busy since we've come back that I didn't realize that it was you who found him," she said in wonder.  "What was he like?"  

Picard blew a long breath.  _How best to describe him?_  "He was a complex man.  He was confident, in some ways a little arrogant, and very self-assured.  But, I could feel his stability and the depth of his convictions.  He represented the pinnacle of the Starfleet of his time.  At the same time, the very thing that defined him was the very thing that he blamed his sorrow later on in life."   Picard sighed once more.  "We, as members of Starfleet, have that same chronic problem.  One of the rewards of this position that defines us is loneliness.   His dream-a simple one really, family, a place to call home and someone to love and grow old with, was denied him.  And I must confess that I have had those same feelings."  Even after all these years, the lost of his brother and nephew burned like a white-hot knife stabbed into his gut.  "My family-the Picards-I am the last," he whispered.  "We have saved the Federation, but when night comes, I enter an empty room and wonder 'is this all there is?'"

The Admiral said nothing, apparently lost in thought.  Patiently he waited until she was ready to speak once more.  Evidently, the conversation had struck home with her as well.

"We all have those feelings, Jean-Luc," she finally murmured.  "Missed opportunities are par for the course.  But that is part of the price we pay for being in the front line in Starfleet.  I've lost someone close to me because of _Voyager's_ entrapment in the Delta quadrant.  Like everyone else, he believed I was dead and moved on with his life.  You have no idea how hard it was to maintain my stoic Captain's face with that revelation.  I felt as though I have lost everything.  And then there was Chakotay…"

Picard stiffened slightly, enough for Janeway to notice.  The last thing he had expected was her opening up like this.

"There was potential there, Captain. And just like you and Beverly, it didn't work out.  I needed to be the Captain of _Voyager _and command structure had to be in place.  He married Anika and honestly I couldn't be happier for the both of them because it turned out to be the best thing for all of us.  We were close, but the timing, or our procrastination, or fate, or whatever, conspired against us."  

"Maybe it was simply fear," Picard suggested.  "That may be the answer for the both of us."

"Possibly," she admitted.  "Are we that much of control addicts that we subconsciously destroyed our relationships out of fear?"

"I believe that the subconscious ignorance of that fear has directed our relationships," and even as he said the words, he realized that they tasted right.  "The same traits that gives us our strengths fuel our weaknesses but we need not to be controlled by them once they are uncovered.  However, we have to constantly remind ourselves of those facts."

"Then where do those facts leave us, Captain Picard?"

"That remains to be seen, Admiral Janeway," he responded.  "You are a remarkable woman and it is my intention to get to know you better.  It is something that I wish to explore in the days to come, after we deal with this threat."  _Especially_ he thought,_ I want to know why she allowed herself to willingly become Borg_.  _What strength did she possess to even attempt such madness?  _"But the Cylon threat is paramount right now and we must put aside our personal pursuits now.  Captain Kirk rejected the promotion and he understood a basic truth that I am just beginning to realize." 

"And that is?"

"We need more stable braves, even older ones, Admiral.  My Riker and bridge crew, and your Chakotay and yours and a few others must form a stable core for the others to remember and follow.  We need to be examples.  When this is over then hopefully I will be able to re-evaluate my priorities.  But right now we need a counterweight against Commander Cain."   

"He is aggressive isn't he?" She half-grimaced at her own comment.  "The Klingons love him and frankly some of the younger Starfleet officers have been drawn to him as well.  His flamboyance is like a magnet.  We need that type of self-confidence in the coming fight, but this plan of his is suicidal.  I have talked to Adama and together we will explain this to him," she said with absolute conviction.  

And the way she said it left no doubt in Picard's mind that that was exactly what was going to happen.  The both got up and headed towards Conference Room one.

Entering the large conference room, Picard quickly observed President Adama and Colonial President-Elect Forsen, engage in quiet, but heated conversation with a clearly defiant Commander Cain off to one side.  There were several Klingon and Federation Officers present also, trying their best to conveniently ignore the arguing trio.  The Admiral hadn't missed it either. 

As soon as Picard and Janeway entered conversation quickly died away and everyone took his or her seats.

Picard nodded to everyone.  "First, let me began by introducing you to the new Commander of this Sector, Admiral Kathryn Janeway.  She and Admirals Avonne and HurShru will be in charge of the Katasi assault.

"Congratulations on your promotion," Cain said regally bowing slightly.   "Perhaps with you in overall command we can finally stop playing defense and finally get this war started.  I know the Cylons.  Defensive measures are not going to work.  We need to attack their central core, destroy their replication factories and most of all, that subspace pulsar before they hit Mariposa, or Vulcan, or Qo'noS, or Earth or any of a dozen other worlds.  We need to wipe them out now.  Decisive action is what is needed."

"Everyone here is aware of the threat, Commander," Jane said, sensing the war-lust permeating the man's soul.  The way he was dressed reminded her of the photos she had seen of the World War two generals fighting in the 1940's.  Cain had an impressive array of Colonial medals and an added feature of a Klingon medallion placed conspicuously on his left side of his chest.  Despite his apparent love for himself, she could see how the others could be drawn to him.  However she also saw his obvious distain for her authority and this was something she would not tolerate.  

"There will be a decisive response, Commander.  However, we will follow the plan as designed and if you have any objections concerning it, please let me know so that I can replace you at my earliest opportunity.  I will not tolerate any of our Command staff deviating without a very good reason.  I've went over your request with Wildfire and I believe it's completely reckless-"

"The plan was carefully-"

"Commander," Janeway responded viciously.  "Don't presume to interrupt me again!"  She glared at him, as he turned beet-red.  However, just as quickly he composed himself and she continued.  "As I was saying the plan is reckless in its present form.  It does have some merit, however Wildfire will not implement it.  I have another job for you," she said.  "Unless you chose to remove yourself from this meeting.  Is that your wish?"

"No, Ma'am," he responded strongly, much to Janeway's and Adama's relief.  "I simply want to maximize our chances to wipe the Cylon scum from the face of this universe." 

The Admiral nodded.  "In the last three hours, the situation has changed again.  A squadron located near the Cardassian border was attacked and wiped out by large contingent of Cylon warships, now fighting with the Cardassians for control of the border.  I don't need to tell you that this is a very grave threat to our rear.  Among others, Bajor_, Deep Space Nine_ and the wormhole are endangered.  We can't ignore their presence there and two fleets, one Klingon and one Federation have been sent to engage them and re-establish control of the sector."

"That's not good," Starbuck said.  "They're splitting our forces."

"Of course," Adama said.  "They don't want us to hit them en masse."

"And they wish to delay whatever we have planned against them," Cain added.  "But it's not going to work.  We need to strike now."

"I agree," the Admiral said.  

In fact, all of them agreed.  They had to strike now before the weapon was deployed once more.  Romulus, once home to a vast empire and its billions were the first to feel its effects and they were now dust in the wind of a burned and lifeless planet.  The Star Empire was desperately re-building their forces on the far edges of their realm but they needed time if they were to survive.  What happened to them must never happen again.

"That's why I'm here," she announced in a strong voice, slowly watching everyone and being watched in return.  "It's already started.  We move in six hours.  Commander Cain of the Wildfire Squadron; keep Wildfire out the line of fire and do your job.  I am not privy to speak of it ye but, we have something special planned for the Cylon Empire and I don't want you getting yourself or your people killed in the crossfire.  If you Cain, a tactical genius can't see what's coming then, no one else will either."  She sighed heavily and seemed to age ten years.  "There's going to be enough death for everyone.  Don't rush it."

The Katasi nebula:

The station was situated in the center of the calmest region of the Katasi nebula.  This station contains the central control complex of the subspace minefields that peppered the Katasi nebula, giving them complete control of the safe zone for three cubic parsecs in any direction.  Elsewhere, the extraneous matter and high-energy storms along with the particles, were so dense that navigation was impossible.  For the most part, it was like traveling through soup.  Any ship that attempted to do so was usually destroyed in a matter of minutes, especially befit of shields, which didn't function in the nebula.  The smallest of particles, traveling at almost the speed of light, struck with enough force of kiloton weapon.  As a result there were few safe passages thru the nebula that were close enough to be useful and situated where it was, _Cylon Base Station Three_ was considered by everyone to be the heart of the Cylon's line of defense within the Katasi nebula.  

Anti-capital disruptors, two _Hellion _Basestars and two additional divisions of Centurions protected it.  Also there were two H-K battalions supported by forty-five of the newer _Obliterator_ class destroyers.  Established after the _Enterprise_ incursion, only two ships, the USS _Khe Sahn_ and the Colonial _Adder_-class destroyer _Taura_, had managed to avoid destruction by the Cylon presence in the nebula.

The single-eyed, golden-colored Command Centurion Medut of the Cylon Empire studied the tactical computer display for perhaps a centon, activated his transceiver and voiced one word.  "Attack."  And by its command, fifty _Raiders_ supported by half the number of _Hunter-Killers_ and four of the newer Destroyers, backed up by a _Hellion _Basestar, swarmed the newly detected Federation-Colonial _Murasaki_ carrier group, they've been hunting for over a secton.   It was an unexpected turn of events that caused the Federation to turn up almost on top of its doorstep.  And how interesting that they would choose to attack just as an energy wave cascaded over the station, as though that would somehow mask their intentions.

The small Carrier group had been wrecking havoc on Cylon shipping and supply routes inside the nebula, while clearing the minefield for the full-scale assault by those same forces.  Despite the losses and the psychological effect caused by the destruction of the Romulan imperial homeworlds, the Humans and others in this region of space resisted more than ever before.  They would not accept the inevitable but at the same time they should not be underestimated as Imperious Leader Lucifer had repeatedly done so many times before.  When it came to understanding Humanity, Lord Lucifer's experience with Baltar made it the reigning expert.  It its core, the very description of mankind could be summed up as perfidious, treacherous, stubborn, cowardly, unstable, unreliable, inconsistent and generally inconsiderate of how things were supposed to be in the universe.  And most importantly, when backed into a corner, they cheated.  That description alone made them worthy of extinction.  Cylons knew how to cheat and lie also, but they were mere amateurs when compared with Humanity.  Another was their unpredictability, something that even in their enhanced state, the Cylons had difficulty dealing with.  Time and again Imperious Leader had warned them of this most dangerous of traits.  On tactical, Medut watched as both groups closed in on one another. The nebula itself wasn't going to make this easy it realized.  Only short –ranged sensors were operable due to the tremendous energies trying to shred anything in its path and one had to almost blunder into the enemy in order to find them.  Another disadvantage was that the shields didn't work inside the nebula with its superheated gases, high-energy dust particles, heat and radiation.  The fight that just began would come down to a matter of skill and logic and that strange but relevant concept called luck..  

Killing Humans was a joyful thing.

Nearly fifty of the Federation two-occupant _Peregrine_ short ranged fighters and and equal number of Colonial _Vipers_ from the battle group clashed with Cylon fighters sent to meet them.  And behind them were their makeshift carriers-the three _Nebulas_ and their _Defiant_ gunboat escorts.  It noted also that there were three Colonial _Adders_ directly supporting the smaller vessels with their heavy lasers and Klingon-style disruptors.  Three of the enemy and five of its own ships instantly vanished as beams of energy and flashing torpedoes touched one another producing micro-star bursts.  

Medut observed the fight carefully; transmitting every bit of detail because this was the first time the Federation small-fighters would be catalogued in an en-mass fight against Cylon warriors.   The _Peregrines_ were warp fighters armed with the newer pulse phaser arrays and six mini-photon or quantum torpedoes.  They were the Federation's answer to the Dominion's smaller warships and had proven themselves well in battle.  But the Federation Humans had not had enough experience in small fighter combat, so the more experienced Colonial _Viper_ pilots, who were already wreaking havoc on the _Raiders_ and H-Ks supported them, training them in essence to better fight their enemy.  This was very instructive for the Cylon Commander and the rest of its kind as it continually transmitted data to the collective database.  The data would then be collected and sent to high command since direct sub-space communication was impossible for them in the nebula proper. 

The Colonial war had occurred before its activation so actual combat experience was something that it didn't have.  The historical data was there but right now it was gaining practical application in killing Human organics.  It observed that the Humans fought differently than the Romulans and that excited his emotion protocols, activated when the ruination imperatives came online.  In the command center, Medut stood rigid in the center of the room, allowing its transceiver to directly connect to every Cylon in his squadron.  It felt the loss of existences from its centurions as well as the joy of fulfilling the imperatives.  It could also provide direct tactical information to the Centurions in combat as it was doing now.

Two of its _Raiders_ were caught in crossfire and it directed a H-K to support them against the _Vipers_ targeting them.  The Cylon H-K immediately broke off its attack and decapitated the closest _Viper_ before a photon torpedo slammed into its engine compartment.  The resultant explosion vaporized the H-K and damaged a _Peregrine_ that passed too close to the superheated fragments spewing in every direction.  

"Commander Medut," a silver centurion announced.  "The Federation battle fleet is closing in on the station."

"Fire all defensive weapons."

The main batteries began firing its offensive weapons with highly accurate and devastating results.  Anti-proton beams caught one _Nebula_, damaging the port nacelle causing the ship to veer of.  The remaining two ships backed away, wary of facing the intense firepower the station was putting out.  After only a few minutes, there was a general retreat of the Federation ships along the entire front, something that Medut was pleased, but puzzled by.  The Gold had expected something more vigorous from the Human-based enemy fleet.  If they fought like this, then the Cylon Empire would have an easier time than predicted.  Calculations would need to be adjusted.

"Order Cylon forces engaged with the Federation to continue the attack and eliminate the remaining opposition."

"By the command."

A full compliment of Cylon Destroyers, Raiders, H-K's and a _Hellion _Basestar began to chase their quarry into the heart of the nebula.  With the fanatical precision of the machine mentality, they proceeded to fire in the fleeing starships.  The retreat hadn't been haphazardly, but a controlled withdrawal, with each Federation ship covering and protecting one another as they sought safety within the dark swirls of the nebula.   Medut would have to be patient it assumed-and was promptly knocked off its feet.  Quickly, the entire visual most of the audio was lost to the dust and storms of the nebula.

"Commander Medut," the primary Silver announced directly quickly recovering its own balance.   "We have detected a second, larger fleet of Federation vessels, all _Excelsior_-class.  They are closing in on braxlar sector. Time to firing range, eighteen point three-two-seven-eight microns."

Medut's enhanced opticals froze for a moment as it observed fifty Federation Excelsior and behind them, an equal number of Klingon B'rel class cruisers swiftly closed in on the station.  The coveted carrier fleet was a faint.  "Recall our fleet.  Fire on the new fleet as soon as they come into range."

"The fleet cannot be recalled," the Silver responded.  "There is too much interference."

The Commander said nothing.  Its fellow Cylons knew what to do.  But it had readjusted its opinion on the Federation organics.  Maybe the fight would be more problematic than it had first calculated.  It would adjust its programming accordingly. "Release the reserves."

"By the command."

The USS _Khe Sahn_, part of the Fed battle group assigned to remove the threat of the Cylon space station waited patiently, until the USS _Crazy Horse_ under the command of Captain Shonar, a Tiburon, gave the order to fire.  With the order given, one hundred ninety-two type-IV photon torpedoes, each with four hundred ninety-six megaton yields, slammed into the small asteroid on which the station was constructed.  The barren rock withered and crumbled and vaporized under the powerful assault, but the station remained, its re-enforced metallic alloy plating resisting the intense energy.  The station was positioned in one of the very few areas where shields were able to function in a limited capacity whereas everyone one else had none. That it would survive the second wave of torpedoes coming at it, would be a debatable point and the Cylons were aware of this as every ship and heavy weapon was focused on resisting this latest attack.  The _Hellion, _backed up by a dozen _Obliterators _and scores ofRaidersand_ Hunter-Killers, _closed in firing everything they had at the nearest _Excelsiors_.  They returned fire and the Cylons quickly discovered that the enemy ships were larger in number that was first observed.  As the Cylons hit the _Excelsiors_, the second wave of starships consisting of the smaller, _Defiants_, N_ovas_, _Intrepids_ and five of the newest _Prometheus_-class multivector combat warships flanked them, catching the Cylons in an unexpected and merciless crossfire.  

Captain Pat Duvalier of the _Khe Sahn_ held her breath, awed by the sight of the concerted attack against the station proper.  Slowly members of her fleet penetrated the wall of death thrown up against them, knocking out weapons batteries.  Photon torpedoes ripped large gashes into the reinforced superstructure and in return, starships venturing too close were raked with anti-proton beams.  Damaged, several Cylon warships moved in close to protect the vulnerable area.  The smaller Starfleet ships attacked them with a vengeance. 

"That's the signal!" Captain Shonar roared over the comms.  "We've opened a hole.  Execute!"

This is what they were waiting for.  They needed entry into the station and transporters were useless they created an opening.  That was now a reality and two _Excelsiors_ and the Klingon ship _K'tonglin_ moved in quickly, dodging enemy ships and fire to get close enough for transport.   

Pat punched her internal comms to cargo bay two.  "Commander Thompson, we're beginning shuttle transport in one minute."  The ship quaked, a direct hit.  "We won't be able to stay here long.  We'll be back."

"I know, Ma'am.  We'll be waiting."

"I wish I were going with you."

"You're the Captain.  Someone has to stay."

"I'll remember you said that, Commander," she whispered.  "Thirty seconds.  Captain Rigel, good luck."

"I'll take it all."

The three ships fired a savage barrage of photons into the gaping hole, rocking the entire sixteen-meter thick re-enforced outer wall.  With the shuttles away, they retreated, supporting a beleaguered Klingon vessel mixing it up with two Cylon destroyers intent on destroying it.  


	4. So it Begins

******_ Chapter IV_**

Colonial Captain Rigel, his Colonials, along with three hundred others of the Klingon and Federation contingents used shuttles to get directly into the station.  This is what they had trained for, for so long.  No more running from the Cylons.  No more defensive tactics trying to keep civilians, their families and their worlds alive and failing. Now they about to strike back-provided that they survived the next five minutes.  He and the other members of his team were dressed in Colonial brown, with the added feature of being covered head to toe with the latest radiation-proofed, energy resistant flex armor, with built-in, self-contained life support.  To his right were the Klingon corps dressed in their traditional colors but with the same armor as the Colonials and to his left were the Feds dressed in red and black armor.   

Gone were the standard laser pistols, replaced by isomagnetic disintegrators and phaser rifles. And half the members in each group were armed with the Miller-T'voku assault combat recoilless rifle or ACRR-MT twelve.  At forty rounds per second, with variable loads ranging from twenty-two to fifty-five caliper-users choice-the ACRR-MT twelve was designed to fire neutronium coated, tritanium based armor piercing slugs, magnetically accelerated to eighty percent light speed within three meters post ejection.  It had a liquid boron-cooled reflex compartment and a built-in high-speed ammo replication chamber with power enough to generate two thousand rounds of ammunition.  With auto-tracking with multiple target acquisition up to ten individual targets, heat signature recognition, and subspace sensor location, it was the latest in anti-Cylon offensive weaponry.  The Romulans and Starfleet had learned the hard way that Cylon centurion refractive armor was tough enough to repel full phaser fire for up to three seconds.  In combat against artificial life forms equal to Commander Data in speed and strength, or far stronger and with their regenerative capacity, that was tantamount to suicide.  Another approach was needed to affect a quick and effective kill and R&D came up with an older methodology.  Magnetic rail technology, sufficient enough at short range to rip through any unshielded armor seemed a viable alternative and an older world war three design was updated.  In theory it should work, according to the designers.  Also, many of the team members were equipped with the newest pulse-firing isomagnetic disintegrators, the weapons destined to replace aging phaser technology.       

The corridors, dark gray in color, were devoid of any warmth or light, which evidently the Cylons had no need for.  The strike group's auto-systems automatically adjusted their optical lens just as the first of the silver centurions turned the curve.  Phaser and disruptor beams shredded the first group of robots into their component parts.  

"Spread out!" Rigel yelled.  "These Cylons are faster than we are!  Don't be cheap on the ammo!" 

The teams began to separate quickly, the Klingons going for the power generators and the Federation team concentrating on the main command center.  The Colonials moved towards the weapons bays, still spraying death at the Assault forces fighting the Cylon heavy warships.

_One good thing_ Thompson mused.  _These things aren't quiet_.  "Here they come."  He didn't have to say that since everyone could hear them, even through their protective helmets.  They were loud and incredible fast, judging by the sounds.  

The first Cylon appeared, carrying a handheld weapon so large, two Humans would have had trouble lifting it.  It carried it like a pistol and had started firing at the strike team who somehow had managed to move out of the way almost as fast.  Three of the slower members disappeared as the beams touched them.  The robot began a sweep just as disintegrator beams from three different quarters sliced the Cylon apart.  It hit the ground hard, breaking apart even as the team continued firing.  Several more robots attacked but were quickly dispatched.  

They had been here less than five minutes and three of his team had already been lost.

"Ranford, take point," Thompson ordered as they all began running down and separating.  They could hear the Colonials and Klingon firing wildly in the distance as Cylon attack packs converged on them.  "Collins, establish a perimeter."  

"Sir," the dark-haired woman responded.  Immediately, she and her point team moved up, sweeping the area.  

For the moment it was quiet, as the other two teams provided a much needed distraction.  In the distance, several explosions rocked the compound.  The other teams were already using the heavy explosives.  

Thompson looked at his tricorder.  "Red, Blue and Green teams spread out and hit your assigned areas.  Brown Team, come with me. That way," he whispered, pointing straight ahead.  

Other than the sounds of explosion, weapons fire and fast-moving padded feet, it was eerily quiet.  No one was saying anything.  Thompson was amazed at how calm he felt. Practice was one thing, but actually being here was quite another.   Now, he was in charge not of a starship, but of a team of men and women looking directly to him for leadership. .  He had never been Special Ops but right now, he imagined that this is how they felt when on mission.  

There was a burst of static, then Ranford was screaming in his ear.  "They're coming.  Nearly two dozen and the Golds also….Scanners not tracking them…being jammed. I-"

Without realizing, he was running in the direction of point, towards the sound of sustained phaser and recoilless fire on full auto.  Three survivors of the point team turned the corridor and hit the ground.  The first Cylon they ran into had been almost completely eviscerated, but the robotic being had begun regenerating, even as the surviving members of the point team began retreating the way they came.

Team members carrying ACRR-MT-12's, opened fire at the horde turning the corner.  In such close quarters, it was about to become a killing field. 

Captain Duvalier stared grim-faced as an _Excelsior_ lost a Nacelle to a trio of Cylon destroyers that had cornered and isolated the ship before it make it back to its battle group.  However before they could finish it, a _Prometheus_-class starship came to its aid and decimated all three ships before the realized the threat. Quickly, the three independent sections of the starship moved on to other targets while another _Excelsior_ came to the beleaguered ship's aid.  

Even with the numbers of ships damaged or destroyed, the Federation-Klingons battlegroup had the Cylons out-gunned, and on the defensive. With shields almost useless, there was a lot more battle damage than projections had calculated.  And with Cylons, there was no question as they fought to their complete destruction.  The only good thing was that their ships didn't have the regenerative capability of their crewmembers.  But even so, they were merciless to anything they considered prey and there seem to be some indication that the ships themselves were attempting to continue the fight even after they were almost rendered completely helpless.  That also seemed to confirm the rumors that the larger warships had Artificial Intelligence built-in to the main computer systems.  If true, then that was another nasty surprise waiting for them in the immediate future she realized

"Captain," the Lieutenant Salvin said, breaking her out of her contemplations.  "Sensors show that the Cylons are on the run."

"Inform the fleet," she said instantly.  "If they break out, we'll be up to our noses in robots in less than three hours.  Inform Captain Shonar-"

"He's aware of the situation and have ordered all ships, minus the _Huntington_ and the _Okada_ and two Klingon cruisers, to hunt them down with extreme prejudice before they can contact re-enforcements. The _Crazy Horse_ has also relayed the change of plans to the groundpounders."

She hated to abandon her people on the base, but there was no choice.  The nebula blocked sensor and subspace signals up to a point.  However if the Cylons reached a safe point then they would call every warship within two light-years down on them and this mission would have been for nothing. And the main attack force might fail.  

"Track down the closest enemy ship and prepare to remove it form my sight," she ordered.  "_This one's for you Roberta_ she thought.  _And good luck Thompson.  I'll keep my promise and I will be back._

"Shoot, Shoot!  That's it!  Destroy them all!" Colonial Captain Rigel roared as he and the Colonial contingent attacked the fortified area where the massive weapons bunkers were still firing at the battlegroup.   The Cylons defending were some that he'd only seen in recording.  They were two and a half meters tall with dual eyes.  They were unbelievably fast and smart, nothing like the good old days.  In those times, Cylons walked unwavering in straight lines and you could cut up entire squads.  But these remained under protective cover, methodically laying down sufficient firepower to keep everybody's head down.  There were only eight of them, but that was enough.  Evidently the Cylons, confident of their outer defenses, had not expected a full-fledged internal assault and therefore there weren't those many combat troops stationed within the fortress.   The Colonials had broken thru the internal force fields, but the entire area protecting the sealed doors were constructed of the same material as the Cylons themselves.  

Continuous fire from their neutron disruptors were increasing the radiation levels significantly; and soon the protective properties of the environmental suits would fail.  That was an automatic death sentence, one that Rigel had no intentions of allowing to come to pass.  These were his ancient enemies.  The same ones who, butchered billions of his people, wiped out his way of life, killed his worlds, chased the remainder of his people across the galaxy for nearly twenty-three yahrens, and now threatened his new home and neighbors.  No more running.  That was about to end now.

"Use the disintegrators," he roared once more.  "Full power!" 

The team complied and quickly the doors, protective covering and everything in front of them started coming apart under isomagnetic disintegrator fire.  Then two photon and two solonite grenades were launched directly at the protected Cylon resistance.  The concussive force knocked every back and the only thing remaining was a piece of the door. And a very large, deep hole in front of it.

His team ran thru the wreckage and reached the door.  Two-dozen grenades were launched into the bunker.   Multiple explosions shook the entire complex and even before the explosions had died down, three of the Colonials burst into the room firing their heavy weapons into the smoke.  The second warrior grunted slightly as an anti-photon beam hit him in the chest.  He disappeared without a trace.  The rest of the time went thru and began firing.  Cylons broke apart or simply vaporized under the assault, while in turn, men and women screamed and died.

Five minutes and thirty-one deaths later, the weapons bunker was secured. 

"Set the charges!"

Commander Thompson had just enough time to duck as a bright yellowish beam eviscerated the area of wall that his head was just in front of.   Once more he thanked the defensive members who carried portable shield generators instead of offensive weapons.  Their directed actions had prevented the deaths of the majority of the people under his command inside this crowded hallway.  Their defensive fields stopped the enemies high-powered and highly radioactive energy weapon from killing his entire group with the first few second so this conflict.  But they had a new problem.  The Cylons were among them.   Two and a half meter metal monsters had gone after the defensive personnel, crushing anything in the paths, and the Feds defended them for all that they were worth.  One soldier fired his weapon point blank into the chest wall of a combat gold fighter.  The Cylon stood there taking the full brunt of the blast just so that it could smash the soldier caring the directed shield emitter.  The arms hit the soldier, but there wasn't much force as the rest of the robot had vaporized.  Still, the weight of the arms knocked the man out of action.  Next to him was another soldier performing a tight sweep of his ACRR-MT-12 on full auto at three incoming silver robots, one of which had just picked a man up by his helmet, crushing his head, before throwing him some twenty meters down the hallway into a wall. 

A few seconds later, all twenty-two of the Cylons lay on the ground, in various stages of destruction.  But the soldiers weren't talking any chances and phaser and disintegrator fire turned the remains into vapor.  

Thompson looked back in shock.  There were bodies everywhere.   For a second, the sight paralyzed him and he knew that this sight would haunt his dreams fro the rest of his life.  But this wasn't the time for it and he pushed those thoughts away.  In front of them, stood the main control section.  And to their left stood two Cylons barring the way, one carrying a very large pulse weapon.  Instantly he and his squadron were on alert.   

The first one was familiar to them all. It was golden with a single cyclopean eye pulsing back and forth serenely as calm as it pleased.   However, the other one was less familiar. It was golden like the others that had attacked them, but the head was pointed.  That one turned towards a very wary Thompson and spoke.  

"You are the leader?"

"Yes," he answered.  His weapon was pointed at the thing in front of him.  If it so much as twitched, he intended to blow it out of existence.  And he was more than happy to see that by the way his squad held their weapons, they had similar thoughts.  "Put down your weapons."

"We are weapons," the Golden Lord answered in a very un-robotic, smug tone.  "You and your related species have been slated for destruction, superior numbers notwithstanding.  I admit that we made a mistake here," Lord Medut acknowledged.  "It is one that will never happen again.  Our next base will be fully designed with organics infiltrator in mind."

"There won't be a next time for you. Surrender, or we will destroy you." 

The second Cylon began to point his weapon-which was considered by everyone as a 'twitch'-and was promptly hit by a dozen beams and MT-12 rounds. It was phased and ripped from existence before its remains hit could the ground.  

The Cylon Lord managed to fire its built-in weapons into the main control section before it to was destroyed.  Damage was significant but it failed to destroy the computer controls that showed the positions of all of the mines situated in the Katasi nebula.  And twenty minutes later, they had all the information they required.  They could now track and destroy the mines in safety.

"That was too easy," Randford muttered.  Her Ops training was screaming red flags at this victory.

"Never look a gift horse in the mouth," someone else countered.

For his part, Thompson said nothing.  The charges were set, the support ships were returning and they were still alive.  The other teams had suffered causalities but had also achieved their objects.  But he was thinking along the same lines and his shipmates.  It had been a little too easy.  Now the next part of the mission could begin.

"Call for pick," he ordered.  "Let's leave this soulless place."

The Katasi Solar System

The Colonial Battlestars _Pegasus_, and the rest of team Wildstar jumped into normal space moments before the first of the Cylon patrol ships began their attack runs.   Hundreds of single manned Colonial _Viper II's _poured out of the massive ship, followed closely by an equal number of two-men Federation _Peregrines_ carried by converted _Nebulas_.  Fifty _K'vort_ Klingon Bird-of-preys and _New Orleans_ class starships, plus another fifty Federation _Sabers_ backed them up.  Their objective was the subspace accelerator weapon orbiting what remained of the fourth planet in the Katasi star system.  The _Pegasus_ under the control of Commander Sheba, and its escort group of twenty upgraded _Adders_, moved in the direction of the orbiting defense station that had begun firing at the ships. 

The Cylons responded quickly and within minutes large numbers of smaller Cylon fighters of every description engaged the combined fleet.  The Wildfire fleet responded with a solid wall of photon and quantum torpedoes that wiped out nearly a thousand ships.  But that allowed a new wave to get into attack range.  Cylon raiders, _Hunter-Killers_ and Destroyers, now fought with Federation _Peregrines_, _Defiant_-class, upgraded _Mirandas_ and _New_ _Orleans_, Colonial _Vipers_, _Cobras_ and Klingon Bird-of-preys.  Now skill and luck would make the difference between success and failure.  There was no quarter asked for or given and men and women died, and Cylons ceased to exist at levels previously unimagined.  But there was no choice, if the Alpha quadrant lost this battle, there would be little to stand in the Cylons way, from turning into a carnal house.  Yes, There were other powers in the region, but very likely would not come together fast enough to resist the Cylons.

Commander Sheba and her escort group fired on the anti-capital weapons surrounding the weapons platform and they also started pelting the planet's surface with high-yield Solonite tipped missiles, in an effort to destroy the planetary defense field protecting the weapon.  

In a modified _Adder_ next to her Battlestars was Commander Cain, giving orders to Wildfire command.  This was the time when her father was truly alive.   

The Cylons had prepared for this attack for months, and were ready.  Their production facilities had been strained to their maximums to produce enough materiel to repel this invasion.  But the main defensive force was stopped short.  Another signature at appeared on their sensors.  It was the main enemy Battle group, comprised of Federation, Klingon and even a few Romulan warships numbering close to seven hundred ships of all classifications, the largest fleet ever assembled by one force in the Alpha quadrant, including the Dominion war.  This, they expected, but what surprised the Cylons was the presence of several Gorn warships.  They were not engaging, but simply observing. 

The first wave of forty _Hellions_ backed up by an equal number of _Extremes_ and their support ships, began gathering for an attack against the main group.

Admiral Janeway onboard the USS _Voyager_, and Admiral Avonne onboard the USS_ Melbourne_, commanded by Captain William Riker, ordered the first group to engage the forces coming towards them.  

"Admiral Avonne," She ordered.  "Start your attack. Chancellor Martok, let us begin."

The leader of the Klingons merely grunted in satisfaction.  Then half of his fleet powered up and went after the second set of Cylon warships congregating near their flank.

Admiral Avonne and his battle fleet slammed into the Cylon defensive ships rushing to meet them.  Smaller Federation ships weaved and dodged in between the larger Cylon Basestars whose defensive shields strained and glowed, fighting against the energies directed at them.  The Cylons returned fire, their anti-proton beams destroying starships shields and punching holes through the ships themselves.  Because of the speed of those smaller ships, the Cylons couldn't train their heavy weapons on them, but their idea of smaller weapons were sufficient to bring down a starship.  

In the distance, Janeway observed the Klingon and Romulan strike force hitting the rearguard Cylon fleet.  The surrounding area where the two fleets met glowed with a ferocity that threatened to match the nearby nebula.   

Onboard _Voyager_, Lieutenant Wright received urgent communiqué from Commander Cain.  The man was livid.  

"Why haven't you begun the attack," he nearly yelled.  "You haven't started your attack on the factory.  We're losing our window of opportunity!  This is not the time to stand idly by and wait.  Strike now, while you can."

 "Not yet," she answered and had him cut off. The factory defenses were powerful enough to repel any attack.  

"Admiral, Commander Tuvok said.  "We have missiles locked onto our locations. 

"Give the order for evasives, defensive fire only.  Do not attack the complex, until I give the order."

Imperious Leader Lucifer stood motionless, along with the Imperium supreme watching the battle unfold.  Their subs-space transceivers took in all reports.  Lucifer was satisfied with the progress so far.  But there was one weakness among his larger ships that they hadn't accounted for.  There were so many ships in the area that the subspace warp fields were tearing up subspace in the immediate area.  In a few yahrens, faster than light travel would be impossible using warp drive.  But that was in the future.  Its processors flashed quicker as two of his _Extremes_ made an error, hitting the target and each other, destroying the target but damaging themselves in the process.  Both were obliterated moments later by quantum torpedoes penetrated deep into unshielded, damaged areas.  

Even with the addition of the Romulan contingent, the forces arrayed against them were larger than anticipated, but not insurmountable.  The factory and the anti-capital defenses would successfully repel any attack.  Even if this attack succeeded somehow succeeded and everything was destroyed, it would mean nothing.  This entire complex was nothing more than a minor piece in a much larger game.  

The Imperium Supreme was however less patient.  "Power up the array now.  We will destroy the secondary target."  Once fired, in ninety centars, the planet called Andoria by the Federation would ceases to exist.

"By the command," Lucifer intoned.  It gave the order and the system began its activation sequence, even as Wildfire fought its way through countless enemy defenders.  

Suddenly, the entire IL leadership froze for an instant.  As one, they felt and acknowledged the transwarp signature forming in front of their command station.  They were not pleased with this interference by their so-called allies and future enemies.

Three vessels emerged from the opening.  Two Borg spheres and one Combat cube appeared decelerating instantly, taking station-keeping in front of Cylon Command and Control.  The transmission from one of two spheres overrode all subspace signals.  "WE ARE THE BORG. THE MISSION MUST NOT BE JEPORDIZED.  WE WILL ASSIST."

Imperious Leader's response was immediate.  "The assistance of the Borg is appreciated, but not required at this time," it said dispassionately.   Their presence had nothing to do with helping as much as it was to keep an eye on things.  With their presence here, the enemy may not even pursue their plans, opting instead to pull back and develop a more defensive stance.  However the Cylons wanted them to attack, to waste lives and resources in a futile battle.  The Federation needed to be bled before the final strikes could occur.

"THE MISSION MUST PROCEED. YOUR CONCERNS ARE IRREVELENT.  WE WILL ASSIST."  Then the Borg began to transmit directly to Starfleet.  "WE ARE THE BORG. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.  YOU WILL LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER.  YOUR LIFE AS YOU HAVE KNOWN IT WILL CEASE.  YOU WILL SERVICE US.  ADMIRAL JANEWAY, YOU WILL SURRENDER YOURSELF TO THE BORG.  SEVEN OF NINE, RETURN HOME.  LOCUTUS, YOU WILL SURRENDER YOURSELF AND THE _ENTERPRISE_ TO THE BORG."

Lucifer, and the Imperium Supreme suppressed urges to direct all of their considerable firepower at those arrogant abominations floating there, issuing orders.  But there was a war to fight, and for now the Borg would be tolerated, until the time was right to eliminate those cybernetic abominations.   

But there was another problem quickly developing.  The larger Basestars couldn't be use to their maximum effectiveness as the hundreds of smaller ships both, enemy and friendly, maneuvered about in intricate dances trying to keep from being destroyed.  They were ordered to retreat but each time the accursed Federation moved with the battle to keep relative position within the perimeter.  The result was that several Basestars had been needlessly damaged or destroyed, unable to use their heavier firepower to full effect.  Reluctantly, the Cylon group mind conceded that the presence of the Borg might negate this unexpected disadvantage.

"The weapon is reorienting itself."   The revelation chilled Cain's heart.  The ring-shaped transmitter, composed of duotronium-neutronium alloys, two point three seven kilometers in diameter, perfectly circular in shape, began its characteristic glow, signaling its intent.  The internal rings had begun to rotate violently.  Normally anchored to the planet by artificial gravity generators, it was now independent, auto correcting its every movement.   The artifact began glowing as it charged itself.

They had waited too long, just as he had repeatedly told them!  Even now, as he berated himself for not pushing harder the computer was announcing its analysis of the intended target.  

Andoria.  

Admiral Hurshu's people.


	5. What does the Borg have to do with this?

**                                Chapter V**

The blue aliens with the antennae and the short tempers, Cain remembered.  The original target was most likely in the Vulcan system, but there wasn't enough time to properly align the weapon before the attack.   Now they were going to hit what they could.  It really didn't matter to them, because Andoria Prime was still a Federation planet, with organics that aligned themselves with Humans.  The death toll could theoretically be the same as Romulus.   He was not about to let that happen to another world.  

The explosion of a Cylon destroyer momentarily distracted him.  Eyes recovering much quicker than they used to, he focused once more on the close end fighting, pushing the larger picture back for the moment.  He watched with envy as his daughter used the Pegasus's heavy disruptors to create large craters on the planet's surface as it tried to overwhelm the weakening force shields protecting the energy generators.  He felt a moment's sorrow as he remembered what the Cylons had done to the inhabitants of Katasi.  They were extinct now, victims of Cylon aggression and indifference.  It was another reason to hate them.  

The enemy warships were massing now, pushing forward trying to ram their way thru to the_ Pegasus _battle group, still pounding what was left of the planet into rubble.  Team Wildfire was split into three sections now.  The first protected the _Pegasus_, keeping the ever-increasing numbers of Cylon ships off her back while she completed her work.  She was now releasing salvos of heavy missiles powerful enough to destroy continents right on top of the generator's shields and against that amount of force, the shields failed a few moments later.  The energy generators blew, and the planet's core began to spew forth up to a distance of thirty kilometers high.  He couldn't help it and allowed a smile to creep on his face.  His ship was in her full glory and it was his daughter that was doing that.

 A second later, he grimaced as scanners confirmed that the Cylon weapon had begin its cycling sequence.  

"Sir!"

"I see it," the Battlestar Commander quickly acknowledged to his subordinate. 

A group of Destroyers seemingly appeared from nowhere and butchered a small group of Klingon and _Peregrine_ vessels caught in the ensuing crossfire.  A moment later, Colonial fighters were all over the Cylons, cutting the attacking force into small pieces.  To his port side, several _Adders_ had engaged the first of three _Hellions_ that had gotten close enough to begin firing their long-distance heavy weapons at the _Pegasus_.  Her shield glowed into the visible range, but held.  Then she returned fire and the first Hellion exploded.  

_That's the way to do it _his mind screamed.  _One down, a lot more to go_.  

Wildfire was taking a beating, but they were holding their own especially with the main force engaging the Federation fleet.  Then his heart went cold when he heard the words, "WE ARE THE BORG," piped thru communications.  Well that was the fleet's problem.  His job was to destroy the accelerator weapon.  All he needed was a little more time; something he knew didn't have.

"Squads Gamoray and Sagittara," Cain yelled into the comms.  "Keep incoming busy.  The rest, follow me.   We have to destroy the weapon and the storage batteries before it fires."

Throughout his life, they had called him foolishly reckless and unnecessarily aggressive.  But they were wrong.  He was aggressive, but focused and he was reckless only as a last resort.  He was a Battlestar Commander, one of the best there ever was.  He _was_ relentless and aggressive against an enemy that intended to wipe out Humanity.  He wanted his people, his Colonials remnants, the Federation, and the Klingons to survive to handle their own problems, not to be dictated to by walking circuits. 

His own _Adder_ was moving towards the fortified construct before the order was even acknowledged. He could feel every vessel, every male and female rushing to obey his order.  The _Pegasus_ was right on top of his ship just as it should be.  Behind him, the rest of the ships closed ranks and surged forward firing at the secondary shield generators protecting their target.  In the distance, the enemy was lining up, waiting for them.  Everything was right in the universe.

"…WILL SURRENDER YOURSELF AND THE _ENTERPRISE_ TO THE BORG."

On visuals, Admiral Janeway saw Admiral Avonne actually blanch.   Behind him was Captain Riker looking just as grim but there was also determination in his eyes.  Here was a man who had never twitch in his conflicts against the Dominion, the Cardassians, or the Klingons, but the presence of the Borg had cracked that stonewall.  And she understood why even more so than anyone else.  The Borg were the bogey man-and rightly so-of every free sentient in the four galactic quadrants.  

Their presence changed everything.   

"We have to evaluate our strategy," the man was saying.  "If they've made an alliance with the Cylon Empire, then we need to break off and re-establish our lines.  We're not equipped to handle both at the same time!"

"No," she answered.  "Continue with the plan."  V_oyager_ rocked from an anti-capital weapons hit that punched thru the shields and scored a direct hit on her ablative armor.  Kathryn was more than happy of the installation of seatbelts on the captain's chair.  "Lock on to that _Extreme_!  Quantum torpedoes full spread!  Fire!" she screamed over the din.  Next to her ship, the _Enterprise_ was parroting her actions.  Both ships crisscrossed one another, firing everything they had at the Cylon.  Its shields collapsed and several other Federation fighters finished the job before it could receive support.

The action hadn't been lost on the admiral.  It was as Q had said, the _Voyager_ and _Enterprise_ were being specifically targeted to the exclusion of everything else.  "We have a big giant bulls-eye painted on us by the Cylons," she had told Picard in one of their earlier conversations.  "It makes life dangerous, but it gives us an advantage also."  In the fighting, this had been proven time and time again.  The Cylons lost their objectivity and became prey for other Fed vessels to rip into them.   Iblis' imperative-to kill Picard, Adama and Janeway-was their weakness that they exploited for all it was worth. 

"Shields down by twenty percent," Tuvok announced.

"Continue firing," Janeway ordered.  "Mister Paris you're doing just fine.  Continue your evasives."

The Cylons adapted quickly to any recognized evasive patterns, so randomness was the order of the day.  Of course, randomness could get you killed just as easily with this number of vessels flying this close to one another.

"Yes, Ma'am."   

As both starships completed their arc, seventy-five Fed and Klingon heavy vessels went head to head with the main forces of the defensive Cylon armada.  Right behind them were another two hundred vessels, including twenty-five Romulan battleships, screaming for vengeance against those who slaughtered their worlds.  

Admiral HurSru' Command ship disappeared in a titanic flash in the first few seconds of the battle.  So did several large Basestars, victims of their own inability to use their heavy weapons or simple to get out of the way without destroying their own comrades.  However the Cylons, coordination was impeccable as many people had the misfortune of finding out when dueling with the smaller fighters.  

Onboard the USS _Voyager_, Anika Chakotay was seriously perplexed by the Borg.  They weren't doing anything.  A combat cube had more firepower than any Cylon warship.  Yet, they weren't doing anything.  Had they truly allied themselves to the Cylons?  And if they did, for what purpose?

"Admiral Janeway.  I suggest caution."  It was true understatement, if ever there was one.

"Of course," she answered.  "Open a channel to the Borg."

"Opened."

She said one word.  "Now."      

Both Spheres and the combat cubes immediately targeted all defensive weapons on the factory complex and the Cylon Star Command center and opened fire on a shocked Imperium.  Explosions blazed in every section of both constructs as ammunition and energy weapons detonated in unholy fury.

Both sides stopped their fighting for an instant in stunned surprise as the Borg ships, having done their duty begin to move away before the robots could retaliate.  

"Admiral, we're receiving a hail from the Borg sphere."

"Open."

On the viewscreen was a Borg of Klingon origin smiling at her.

"General, my thanks."

He merely nodded.  "It was an honor," he responded. "To all, victory!"

Anika stood there, as shocked as the rest.  Then slowly, her smile matched Janeway's.  The three vessels were those freed from the influence of the Borg queen and the Collective during her and Kathryn's time in Unimatrix zero.  

"You planned this!"

The word, "yes," came out in a long slow draw.  "We needed an edge to break thru to our objective; something that no one would expect."

"Your plan was-inventive," Anika said slowly. "I am sure that the Cylons were not expecting such a tactic."

"Now it's time to exploit it," she answered, not wasting a second.  "Mister Paris, reform with the fleet.  Lets' finish this!"

Yes, Ma'am!"

 Inside Cylon Command Central, two invisible entities watched as the Borg ships slipped away via transwarp.  The expression of contempt for the Borg exhibited by the Cylon Lords, was matched only by the psychic screaming of Count Iblis.  He understood the depths of the deception perpetrated by Janeway.  And he hated her all the more because of it.   The fact that he was deceived mattered very little.  The fact that Q was beside him, laughing in his face infuriated him in a manner few beings had ever dared to do.  The power swelled inside him threatening to burst its fury upon Q, who stood contently waiting to see what the Dark Lord would do.  

"Harm me and a war starts," Q mocked.  "Remember that?"  Then Q created a chair and sat down, completely spent.  "I can feel your power Iblis, testing to see what you can do and get away with.  By the rules that your own self-righteous people have agreed to, you can't begin to do anything."  Slyly: "turnabout is fair play."

Iblis' vestige calmed down immediately.    All around him, his children were frantically repairing the damage done by the ex-Borg ships with machine efficiency.  Replication systems were online and the worker units cleared debris and proceeded to install newly synthesized parts.  

"Q, your pets have made quite a showing.  They've shown more initiative that I gave them credit for.  I should have remembered Adama."

"They are stronger than you think.  I could have told you that."  Q slapped himself.  "Oh, wait!  I did tell you that!"

"This means nothing, simpleton," Iblis retorted.  "Look that them," he growled, pointing towards the fighting.  Several Basestars had just released their reserve fighters that swarmed a squadron of Federation-Klingon vessels cut off from the main fleet.  "Do you actually believe that the Federation and friends can defeat my children?"

Q shrugged.  "I will admit that the Federation isn't the most competent group I've come across, but I think they'll do well enough against you're _children_," a sarcastic Q retorted.  "Children?  Really, you should try the old fashion way."

Ignoring the last remark completely, Iblis' entire vestige darkened and crackled.  "We shall see."

The creature disappeared with Q hard on his trail. 

The Battlestar _Pegasus_ followed closely by its remaining _Adde_r and fighter support smashed their way thru two _Extremes_ attempting suicide runs.  The Battlestars' disruptors and high intensity lasers followed by high yield torpedoes of various types incinerated anything that came within the field of fire.  The lasers were hotter now by almost eighty percent, due to judicious use of the Aeriana crystal.  Still extremely volatile, it was used only in short regulated pulses.  Even then, its effects were deadly, comparable to Borg cutting lasers at full power when slicing thru unshielded vessels.  

Commander Cain's _Adder _was right next to the_ Pegasus _trying his best to burn thru the rapidly weakening shields protecting the sub-space projector.  A momentary hole opened up within the shield and every allied ship in the area fired everything they had.  

-A second too late.

The energizer fired for a second, then exploded like a small nova, as nearly three thousand megatons of allied weaponry collided with enough stored subspace energy to flash fry a planet.  The weapon, battery storage, and the shield generator units vaporized, taking the remains of Katasi four with it.  Every ship in the area was sensor blind after the explosion, leaving them completely helpless.  And the enemy warships, aware of that fact bore down on the squadron.  

USS Voyager:

Admiral Kathryn Janeway held on as another Cylon destroyer tried to live up to its name.  With the concerted efforts of Tom Paris, the ship weaved and dodged enemy fire as gracefully as a cat, all the while bearing its own energy powered fangs.  The _Voyager's _weapons and armaments, given to her by an alternate future Admiral Janeway made her nearly impervious to present day weapons' fire.  But even this future's amalgam couldn't long withstand the continuous pounding that the Cylons were putting out.  Her ship was a target and everyone knew it.  The _Enterprise_ was one as well courtesy of the entity called Count Iblis.  And because of this several of the enemy had aided in their own destruction by ignoring other allied ships.  Three Basestars had succumbed to the fire, trying to either destroy _Voyager_ or the _Enterprise_ regardless of danger to their ships.  The Cylons had shown no hint of a change in strategy. For the two starships, it made life interesting.

Without the anti-capital weapons fire and shielding, the massive factory complex suffered grievous damage.  The _Hellion_ shipyards were now a battered wreck, but the _Extreme's_ shipyard remained unscathed as their shield generators  held up against uncoordinated allied assaults.  And the Cylons weren't making it easy to get to the  partially built ships either.  There were several suicide strikes by Cylon raiders and a few Hunker-Killers when the opportunity arose.  But more and more high energy torpedoes were getting thru.

-But at a horrible price.

Nearly a third of the allied ships were damaged or destroyed and those that were damaged needed escorts to evacuate the war-ravaged area.  Cylons took no prisoners and life ships with their crews from evacuated ships were destroyed outright unless they were recovered quickly or escorted away from danger.

The Colonials were doing as well and better with their upgraded weaponry, than their less experienced Federation and Klingon counterparts.  They, with their loosely coordinate attacks were far more effective in killing Raiders and H-Ks.  Experienced veterans and well trained newbies constantly proved their prowess when in contact against their ancient enemies.  Sensors went momentarily blind as the signaled the death of the subspace weapon, but not before it fired for a full second.

"They did it!"  Admiral Avonne yelled to her from the bridge of the _Melbourne_.  "But Wildfire has lost its sensors.  They're all blind!"

Janeway and the others had noticed it as well.  Admiral Avonne's fleet was in too deep, fighting against hordes of Cylon fighters and blowing large holes in the factory complex to disengage and help.  This left Janeway's combat group was the only salvation for Wildfire until their sensors were back on line.

"Admiral," the Commander Tuvok said in his usual calm, which belied his true concern.  "Two _Extremes_ and their full compliment will be in range in one minute, twenty seconds."

"How long before the sensors clear?"

"Approximately two minutes," came the answer.

"Contact the _Enterprise_," she ordered.  Have her disengage and we two will draw them off until Wildfire's scanner's clear."

"Yes, Ma'am," lieutenant Kim responded.  Janeway could hear the uncertainty in his voice.  But there was strength there as well.  How the young man had grown. Since she had first met him.   He understood her logic.  Both ships would be irresistible to the _Extremes_ and their support  just as they had been throughout the campaign.

"Tom, set a course for the _Extremes_ and head straight for them," she ordered.  "Mr. Tuvok, when in range, fire at will." 

_Voyager_ and _Enterprise_ vectored away from the fighting and headed straight for the _Extremes_.  

"Inform Admiral Avonne that…"  

The entire bridge crew, except for Janeway were knocked off their feet and for an instant, their world went A few moments later black.  The bridge lights returned to normal and the crew found that both ships were frozen in place.  


	6. The Voyager Imperative

**Chapter VI**

The crew of _Voyager_ felt it before they saw it.  A powerful and dark presence stood on the bridge.  It almost appeared humanoid but at the same time, they could see what they could only describe as a winged hunter merged with the humanoid image in front of them. It was as if it couldn't decide which shape could become the dominant vestige.   Behind him was Q decked out in an Admiral's uniform.  Instinctively, Janeway ordered her crew not to interfere in any way.

The entity smiled and Janeway's' blood ran cold.  "You're Iblis," she said in no uncertain terms.  She'd never seen him before, but the aire of menace described by Adama and Q was unmistakable.  "What's the meaning of this?  Why are you on my ship?"  It seemed the right thing to say since higher powered entities seem to have obsessive desires to gloat to lesser beings. 

The creature laughed.

"Careful, Kate," Q warned.  "He can't do anything to you unless you allow him to.  I'm only here to make sure he doesn't break the rules," he added, letting the threat hang in the air like the sword of Damocles. 

"Rules cannot hold me, Q.  I do what I want," he answered, glaring at Q.  "I am here to finally meet the famous Kathryn Janeway, one of Q's beloved pets.  I must say, for a human you've done quietly nicely for yourself.  You made it back home, past the Kazon, the Vedians, and the Borg, not to mention Species 8472.  I had so much hope for them," he murmured distracted by thoughts that could have been.   "You must be proud of yourself.  Your feats are worthy of Adama's trek to return to safety.  But at what price?" he asked her softly.  "You should have stayed in the Delta quadrant because you would have lived a little longer."

"What do you want, Iblis?" she repeated.

Iblis never moved or stopped smiling, but the afterimage's wings spread wide in distain and threat.   "Iblis?" he repeated innocently.  "That _is_ my name.  But then so is Bushmaster, Diablolese, Mephistoles, the god of Lies, and Enovum, lord of Pain.  There are so many names that I find it hard to keep track with all of them." Janeway could actually hear the pride in his voice as he uttered those names made utterly obscene by his very voice.  "But for my purpose here, Iblis will do just fine."  The wings closed in upon themselves and the darkness that seemed to encompassed the room seemed to shrink within itself.  "I am disturbed, Admiral Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship _Voyager_.  This setback," he said indicating the frozen war around them, "is nothing.  Q has snared us in this microsecond of what you laughingly call time, for which I am grateful.  It allows us to have this wonderful conversation undisturbed by the aggravations of life pounding away at us as it were."  He looked at her and his image darkened , became less distinct.

"This conflict is nothing," he continued.  It will change nothing.  Your fleet is battered and will take time to recover if you win.  My children will survive and slay everything that lives in your precious Federation.  You will realize that you have gained nothing here but false hope.  I can offer nothing for the holocaust to come.  But," he added softly.  "I can offer you the lives of Commander Sheba, and her father, all of the Wildfire group, if you will bow down and become my servant-of your own free will, of course.

The request stunned Janeway.  Had she understood him correctly?  Was he offering the lives of over ten thousand individuals for her servitude?  "Why would you do this?"

"Because they," he said pointing to Q and his son a little distance away, 'Care for you.  This fool," snarled Iblis as he looked directly an increasingly hostile Q, "has sacrificed everything for humans," he spat.  "You are nothing!  Nothing, but lowly bacteria with delusions of grandeur.  You've moved too far; too fast before your time.  The Q and the others know the truth, but have refused to do anything about your extinction.  You don't deserve life, such as your species understands it.  The Goa'uld should have extinguished your miserable species long ago.  But the timeline was altered beyond repair and again your species prevailed.  That was the first warning to us.   You damage whatever you touch and you drag other races behind you in your ruinous wake.  I fully understood this when I first encountered Adama.  You Janeway and the others are no better than he.    You're so sanctimonious, so hypocritically noble.  You've damaged the Borg, a race far more worthy that you.  And now your infantile race threatens to change the very structure of the galaxy itself."  The hatred in his voice was palpable.   "The Federation in general and Humanity in particular, will not stand.  It will be extinguished like a candle in a storm.  But for you, Janeway, I offer my pledge that Wildfire will survive, if you give yourself to me."

The Admiral looked away as his obscene essence moved closer to her.

"Captain!"  Tuvok began to rise, but halted as Iblis' full attention centered on him.

Iblis' hand shot out and black lightening arced towards the Vulcan.  Q instantly stretched out his hand and stopped the death bolt from touching its intended victim, but it was clearly a strenuous struggle between the two entities.  

An enraged Iblis ceased his attacked, beginning to smile once more as thought nothing had happened.  "Your master has saved you, Vulcan.   Do not interfere again."  Then he turned towards his adversary.  "Q…"

"He didn't threaten you in any fashion," Q retorted.  You would have broken the rules.  I simply stopped you from doing so."  Iblis rolled his eyes and re-focused on Janeway. 

A shaken Kathryn confronted the creature once more.   "With a pitch like that, I should be hard pressed to refuse-but I will.  Survive or fail, Mankind's will is its own.  I-we, live or die by our own choices."

"Free choice?  Destiny?"  He laughed, shaking the ship in the process.  "You humans really don't have a hint of a clue, do you?   Very well.  Suffer and die." 

He disappeared.  

Q winked at Kathryn.  "You've danced with him once, but never make a deal with the devil in the pale moonlight."  

"What do you mean, Q?"

"Remember the time you almost died and there was this white light beckoning you into the after life?" 

She simply nodded.  She hated being reminded of the near death experience.  There was a creature that tried to eat her 'spiritual essence'.  That incident made her hate white lights ever since.

"That entity was what is collectively called soul eaters.  In one form of another they use what you would call the soul for their own purposes.  Some use the life energy; some merely wish to play with it.  Iblis is one of that group.  The failure of the entity to capture your essence is what caught his attention.  Humanity fascinates and repels him at the same time.  He loves to 'collect' souls.  Be careful or he will destroy you."  He then flashed out of sight as well.  

Once more the ship was moving towards the Cylon Basestars.  

Imperious Leader and the Imperium Supreme watched impassively as the two starships vectored towards the Wildfire squadron. Only one point three microns of energy was released by the weapon before it was destroyed, but that one micron of power, even dissipating by ninety percent before it reached its target, would kill twelve percent of all unprotected lifeforms in another six standard hours.  It wasn't the ideal situation but it would have to do for now.  They were still digesting the implications of independent, non-collective Borg running free in the galaxy.  That would have to be rectified also.

"Have the _Extremes_ target the two Federation starships _Voyager_ and _Enterprise_.  Destroy them with _Extreme_ prejudice," Imperious Leader said, actually laughing at his own joke. 

"What of the _Pegasus_?" a Gold Centurion asked.

"Irrelevant for now.  The _Galactica_ is what is important and it is not here," the Imperium Supreme answered.  "Destroy the ships."

"By the command."

Captain Jean-Luc Picard didn't hesitate, didn't even think about it.  He understood Kathryn's plan immediately.  He understood the danger also.  The _Enterprise_ was by far the larger ship and she wasn't alone.  Four _Akiras_, six _Sabers_ and three _Intrepids_ and two heavily modified _Nebulas_ followed hard in their wake, determined to aid the defenseless Wildfire squadron.  

_Voyager_ and the USS _Melbourne_ had used up most of the transphasic torpedoes.  Only a few of the powerful weapons had been produced; an inconvenience and the result of a political problem that the Federation had better deal with soon.  Various factions of the political spectrum believed that Starfleet vessels equipped with transphasic torpedoes were not only too provocative but also a possible violation of the temporal Prime Directive, brought from the future by an alternate Admiral Janeway that no longer existed.  It gave the wrong impression, or so the lead argument held.  Those same representatives were the last to volunteer in this fight against the Cylons and most likely be the first to turn Earth and humanity over for a peaceful solution.  

That was something for the diplomats to hammer out as soon as possible or there wouldn't be anything left to argue about.  Fractures like these could conceivably destroy the Federation from the inside out.  And very likely that was the plan all along.  The Cylons had been busy at other fronts as well.  Fighting wasn't their only skill.  They were accomplished liars as well.

"Mr. Angaa, take us in."

"Ready all quantum and photon torpedoes and target the smaller ships."

"Target, aye Sir."

"Number one?"

"We're ready, Captain," Commander Deanna Troi Riker said.  

"All weapons…Fire!"

Dozens of torpedoes smashed into frantically dodging Raiders and Hunter-Killers.  The survivors let loose a lethal volley of their own as the destroyers unleashed solonite-based anti-matter missiles of their own.  The _Enterprise_ and the_ Bronstead _was hit by several missiles in the eighty-isoton range.  _Enterprise's_ regenerative shields nearly collapsed but held.  The _Bronstead_ wasn't so lucky, as the _Akira_ broke apart, killing all hands.  The _Sabers_ and the _Intrepid_-class starships went after the Destroyers with a vengeance supported by one of the _Nebulas_.  

The_ Enterprise's _fired everything she had at the onrushing _Extreme_-class Basestar. Heavily damaged, the ship continued on, trying to ram the _Enterprise_.  The Federation vessel dodged and the Basestar overshot its intended target and ran straight into a volley of torpedoes, phasers and isomagnetic disintegrators beams.   Its shields failed and Internal explosions erupted throughout the ship, now seconds away from destruction.  However before destruction claimed it, the ship fired twelve missiles the size of _Defiants_ at them.

Janeway gasped when she was what was coming. 

"Tom!"  

Lieutenant Tom Paris was already pushing _Voyager_ towards warp three and accelerating away from the half dozen missiles that were chasing it.  

"Correct me if I'm wrong," he asked trying to lighten the mood and failing spectacularly.  " But aren't those the same type of missiles that tried to kill us in the Mariposa system a few months ago?"

"No," came the answer from Tuvok.  "These have an estimated destructive payload of nine thousand isotons each.

Lieutenant Harry kim blanched.  "Isn't that overkill for one little ship?"

"From a logical standpoint, Lieutenant Kim, the Cylons have made it clear that the wanted the Admiral destroyed," Annika Chakotay said coldly.  If it is overkill, it is because they are ruthlessly efficient and dedicated to this endeavor."

"No, he's right, Tuvok," intervened commander Chakotay   "This was a trap and we walked into it.  They knew we would come to help Wildfire."

"I agree."

"Warp eight," Tuvok announced.  "They're still gaining." 

"_Enterprise_ is skimming the edge of the nebula at maximum warp.  The torpedoes are still tracking them, but falling behind."

The navigator on her must be a madman.  The Enterprise hurdled into the nebula and was lost to sensors.  "We should have went that way," Paris murmured to himself.  

"I agree," Tuvok said.  Paris had forgotten about his hearing-again.

"How many transphasics do we have left?"  Chakotay asked.

"Two," Annika answered.

"Fire a full spread of quantums, proximity strike."

"We're at maximum warp.  They're still gaining."

"They're using tunnel-shift technology."

"Ready," Tuvok said.

"Fire."

A full spread arced towards the missiles.  The missiles reacted by dodging as many as possible, but two of them detonated the smart missiles.  The crew of the _Voyager_ had never seen an explosion that violent.

"What are they using?" someone asked in awe.  

"Doesn't matter," Janeway responded.  "Our shields and armor won't protect us from something like that."  Not even the Borg used that amount of explosives.  "It's a weapon of mass destruction designed to kill a starship.  Ready the transphasics and a full spread of quantums same pattern."

"Thirty-five seconds before they're in range."

"Fire."  

The torpedoes took out another two missiles.  The survivors began moving unpredictably, closing on _Voyager_ all the while.  A third volley fired by _Voyager_ never even came close to their target.  Those missiles were fitted with Cylon intelligenics.  In essence they had the minds of Cylon centurions wrapped around a single warhead eager to fulfill its purpose.  Kill _Voyage_r.

"Fifteen seconds."

One of the missiles suddenly, violently accelerated and detonated near the fleeing starship.  Knocked out of warp, _Voyager_ tossed violently in the resultant shockwaves wake at a forty-degree angle causing the second missile to miss them while traveling at warp nine point nine eight.

Transparent aluminum windows shattered and EPS conduits blew throughout the ship.   Several hull ruptures on decks six and seven exposing people to hard vacuum.  The warp coils shut down and the warp core safeties were destroyed.  

"Admiral!"

Janeway had lost consciousness for a moment.  Her head was bleeding.  "Chakotay?"

"Admiral?  Are you all right?"

"We have to abandon ship!  Warp drive and weapons are offline."

"Did it hit us?"

"We were just in range of the blast.  It blew out three quarters of Voyager's systems.  Impulse drive is shot.   The warp core is starting a runaway reaction. Admiral, Lieutenant Kim is dead."

"Harry!"  

"B'Elanna is barely holding engineering together.  We've lost half of the crew," Chakotay whispered urgently.  "We have hull breeches throughout the _Voyager_.    We've lost her."

Kathryn's heart broke.  This had been her and ex-crew's home for seven long years. It had brought her and her crew safely thru hostile Borg territory home stronger than ever, only to die in conflict with another robotic race.   "The other missile?"

"It's trying to reacquire us now thru the subspace interference.   It's aiming for a direct strike.  Its almost two light-years away but it is coming to finish the job.  We have to abandon ship while there's still time."

Groggily, she tried to focus on the damage around her, but there was too much smoke on the bridge.  There were at least three fires on the bridge, starting to burn out of control. There were several bodies sprawled across the floor.            

"Oh; Harry."

"Abandon ship.  All hands abandon ship!"

She saw Harry on the floor next to his console with his back twisted at an unnatural angle.  She believed she broke down for a second but couldn't be sure as Annika helped her into one of the escape pods.  

Annika Chakotay, formally Seven of Nine, looked at the lifeless Harry one last time.  "Goodbye, Lieutenant Harry Kim of the Starship _Voyager_."

The sixty-eight survivors safely out of range when the Cylon missile hit the remains of _Voyager_ eight minutes later.  Subspace shockwaves buffeted the ejection pods for ten minutes. 

Voyager was gone.

Needless to say, to be continued.

Quick notes:

The epilogue is coming up.  As you may have noticed I have been posting a little faster than normal.  THIS IS A FLUKE!  DO NOT DEPEND ON THIS! (smile) However, I wanted to finish this so that I can get past this and onto the main story.  

Questions, comments?  

Also for the people who have been wondering what's going on in  'Universe's 'THOSE WHO STAND', here is an except.  (Yes, I have been working on it and no, I am not [fully] teasing a certain person.  It's been great fun and I have received help fro Mike Mckenny on some of the ships you'll read about in the story.  

November 2003.  Hopefully V'ger will join it.  I want them to parallel one another.  It'll make my life interesting. 

**Chapter Five******

**   The battle of Proxima**

Partial Chapter- rough draft one.

Accelerating to the normal cruising speed of warp six, the Klingon-Narn crew compliment began to relax.  It was clear that the times of attacking and destroying the Centauri convoys and warships were fast approaching its end.  And on the bridge, G'Kar, Koral and Worf were embroiled in the mists of a heated conversation.  Commander Worf also received the same communications as Picard and Garrett, however he pushed his thoughts to the far reaches of his mind.  The here and now was what mattered.

"We are in trouble," G'Kar snarled, matching the standard fury of Klingons in important conversation.  "Those must be the same ships that are attacking the Minbari.  If they hit the remainder of our forces at Babylon Five we will be completely helpless.  Even with the Ambassador and the upgraded weapons, they may not be able to withstand a surprise attack without incurring significant loses.  We must consolidate our forces there."

The Klingon Captain grunted after a moment.  The Narn ships were in need of repair, and his ship's shield generators were nearly burnt out, not to mention that primary sensors needed replacement modules and re-calibration after this latest skirmish.  And he found-to his surprise-that he needed to talk to Sisko and Guinan.  Conversations with the Captains, all of them including G'Kar and Sheridan, and the Minbari Captain Menroi gave him a since of perspective, since he was a still learning the trade himself.  And he found that Worf was acceptable also-and most importantly-not interested in his command.  He could relax without being threatened.

"Rendezvous with the Narn ships.  We head to Babylon Five."

Forty points of light appeared in the darkness, disgorging sixty Centauri warships and an uncounted number of fighters, all headed directly towards the unsuspecting Earth Force, stationed near Proxima III.  But, instead of encountering unsuspecting and disorganized resistance, the entire force ran into a solid wall of plasma, canon and nuclear fire.  In an instant, an organized strike force turned into disorganized chaos.  A full third of the Centauri ships, completely unprepared for such an aggressive offensive assault on their forward shields, crumpled into twisted and exploding debris.  Now, the first wave had been broken up, and instead of a coordinated attack, the fight quickly degenerated into uncontrolled bedlam.  The organized EAS ships quickly lost formation also as Primus and fast moving Vorchan attack ships tore into their ranks with superior firepower.  Energy shielding held long enough to give the EAS ships a lot of grief.

Ion cannons and particle arrays ripped into Omegas and Novas, punching holes thru reinforced armor and setting plasma fires on everything they touched.  Nuclear-tipped missiles from a Hyperion impacted and vaporized several Centauri Sentri fighters and their Primus escort.  The small Earth Force victory was countered when two Vorchans gutted a trio of Omegas and a Nova with their main weapons systems.  But so far the Earth forces were holding their own, effectively keeping the Centauri from the forces stationed on the colony.  

Six more jump points opened and a new enemy emerged.   Twenty Drakh raiders, each the size of an Earth Force Monsoon class gunboat, entered the fray slaughtering the smaller Starfury single-man fighters scrambling to get out of their way.  Their neutron canons cleared away any smaller fighter that dared to get in the way.  The Monsoons took up the challenge, countering the neutron weapons with plasma and particle beams.  And one particular group seemed to be doing particularly well against them, using a new type of beam weapon, as the larger Drakh destroyers entered normal space attempting to flank the Earth fleet.  Cutting a large swath of destruction in their wake, they were in turned attacked by the newest fleet of Shadow based Omegas.  The two fleets slammed into each other with weapons significantly greater than anything previously seen in the conflict.  

Colonel Griffin, onboard the EAS Evanston hit the floor hard.  The ship had taken several hits, but was now pursuing a damaged Primus limping away from the battle.  Six shots from the main guns rendered the wounded ship lifeless.

Captain Drake smiled grimly at the latest victory.  In the mists of this battle he was calm.  The enemy was clear cut this time, not like the last fight. Suddenly, the ship rumbled and he saw a small sun appear near the area when several new Drakh destroyers had just entered normal space.  He had never seen it in operation, but because of the shockwave and the resultant carnage , he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what it was.

"That was the Shatterfist array!" he yelled to Griffin and the General.  It had to be! 

The newborn star faded quickly, leaving the remains of at least twelve of the cruisers glowing embers, with three more tumbling out of control.  The Modified Nova carrying the deadly weapon was quickly retreating, very likely trying to recharge its weapons for another strike.  But it was already too late as one of the cruisers targeted it and began its run.    

"Target that ship!" Drake ordered. If they were to survive then that Nova would certainly be one of the reasons why.  It was still two to one odds and a third of the fleet had been lost.  They needed every edge they could get.  

"Aye, Sir.  Ship targeted.  We'll be in firing range in six seconds."   

Beside the Evanston, its two Hyperion escorts acknowledged the orders and locked on also. 

"Fire as soon as we get into range."

The Evanston turned and fired twice with its main batteries, hitting the Drakh amidships.  The two escorts immediately followed suit.  Drakh armor flared up, but held against the strike.  The Evanston moved closer and hit it again and the Drakh wobbled slightly.    

"Hit them again," The Captain roared.  In the distance, he saw the results of the attack.  The Evanston had scarred the middle to rear section of the enemy ship. Molten metal flaked off the destroyer.  Then the rear engines fired up and once more the ship begin to arc towards them.

The targeted ship turned to face its attacker faster than anyone dreamed possible, locked on to the nearest Hyperion and the Evanston and fired.  The majority of the blasts missed the Omega-class ship, but sliced the Hyperion in two.  What energies that did touch the Evanston, burned thru sixty percent of its re-enforced armor.  Once again the Evanston's system redlined.  Several decks were exposed to vacuum and the port engine had been damaged.  Admiral Pickett crashed into the bulkhead, broke several ribs, one of which punctured a lung, and his face contorted violently, the result the sudden and terrible pain the hit him like a high-speed vehicle.   Beneath them, the ship rumbled as though tossed in storm.  The lights faded and powered back up.  People were screaming orders and helping one another up.  

Even with the first strike, even damaged, it was apparent that the Drakh vessel was more powerful than the Omega class vessel.  The EAS ship was listing slightly and the destroyer was charging in.  The second Hyperion had been hit by a second salvo and was now limping away from the battle, its weapon's ports damaged.  There was nothing close enough to assist them.  But even so, the Evanston fought back with everything it had.  A half-dozen fission missiles erupted from her, tracking the pursuing vessel, only to be detonated prematurely by the destroyers defensive particle weapons.  

The scanner officer suddenly turned to face Drake and Griffin who was next to him.  "They've locked onto us."  

 "Move, move!  Prepare to fire all remaining defensive batteries," the Admiral, lying on the floor, yelled over the din.  A med tech was in the middle of her own battle, trying to treat the wounded man bleeding all over the floor. The yelling had taken a price and fresh pain flare throughout his body.  But thru the pain he also felt the ship finally responding.

The ship suddenly exploded spectacularly as two something's ripped thru it like tissue paper.  A second later a small ship flashed into existence, its nacelles glowing bright blue but fading slowly.  Right behind it, were two more ships followed another four, exiting from newly created jump points. Communications chirped over the sounds of battle damage demanding to be heard.  It was Picard.  

"How badly damaged are you?" he demanded in that usual cold voice Drake was so used to.  He didn't have time to scan the ship in detail.

"Port engine's gone and we've sustained moderate damage throughout the entire ship."  Quietly: "thanks from the assist.  They had us."

"You're welcome," Picard acknowledged quickly.  "You must martial your forces.  Your forces are vulnerable spread out as they are.   We will provide cover until you reform your defenses."

Admiral Pickett broke in.  "Our tactical station and long range comms has been wreaked.  Is it possible that you can broadcast my voice to the rest of the fleet?"

"Yes," he said after a second.  "You may begin, Admiral."  
  


"All ships, regroup at point Ćote.  I repeat, regroup at point Ćote."

There were ten White Stars frigates in existence, the sole survivors of an attack by the Drakh on the shipyards that created the Vorlon-Minbari hybrid ships. All of them were stationed at Babylon Five.  Five of them had been modified with Federation-style shields, makeshift warp engines and three had been outfitted with min-photon launchers.  Onboard White Stars One and Two, the first transporter units had been installed.  So far, neither Minbari nor humans crewmembers had been in a rush to test them out. 

One of the things that Susan fell in love with was the sub-dermal translator that allowed her to understand Minbari without having to learn the language.  This however caused one small problem.  She now had the hardest time trying to motivate herself into actually learning the language.  The translator made things too easy and she found herself constantly turning it on and off as she studied the language.  That was a constant pain.  However, right now she love loved it because on her _White Star_, everybody understood everyone else.  And when fighting against a vicious enemy like the Drakh and Centauri, that made all the difference between life and death.  In front of her ship were three Centauri and one Drakh raider positioning themselves for an attack against several retreating EAS _Hyperions_, making a run towards the newly establishing Earth Force line some fourteen thousand kilometers distant.  And so far, they were completely unaware of the relief force rapidly bearing down upon them from their rear.  The four Runabouts broke off and attacked a Centauri group reforming some fifty thousand klicks distant.  Exploding photon torpedoes yields brightened the sky for thousands of kilometers around.

_White Star Two _began its attack run followed closely by the rest of the resistance fleet.  Already in range, Susan gave the order.  "Torpedoes, fire!"

Two photon torpedoes erupted from her ship followed by six more from her support _Omegas_ and four fusion missiles from each of the two H_yperions_.   But it was already too late.  One of the EAS ships took fire from the rear and veered off, out of control and burning.  It wasn't a fatal hit, but it was a near thing.  

The torpedoes traveling at light speed and fusion missiles bring up the rear, peppered the immediate area of the enemy fleet, annihilating all of them before they realized they were under attack.  But the attack hadn't gone unnoticed others and three more of the Drakh cruisers turned to face them while more Centauri ships concentrated on the EAS defenders.   Susan hissed at the oncoming ships.  Her W_hite Star_ was a match for one of the cruisers but even with seven to three odds, this wasn't good.  The resistance ships had vastly upgraded weapons but no defensive armament as of yet, other than what was normally carried.  This of course wasn't about to stop her from ramming everything she had down their throats.  

Arcing port faster than any of her comrades could hope to, _White Star Two_ followed by the _White Stars Five_ and _Six_, fired their energy beams at the nearest Drakh, scoring hits on the bridge and front third of the ship.  Staggered and mortally wounded, it returned fire, its beam weapons splashing violently across the hybrid vessel's shields. Susan flew past the ship at high speed, never stopping her fire for an instant.  In defending itself and returning fire on its attacker, it relied on its own ships to support it from the _White Star's_ rapidly approaching sister fleet.  Firing another salvo, it hit the _White Star_ _Two_ and bounced it around, just as the other two _White Stars_ and the Resistance fleet opened fire on the other two Drakh vessels.  The _White Star_ _Two_ flipped one hundred eighty degrees and made another run, keeping the first destroyer fully occupied. For its ferociousness, it was hit twice.  Several of the crew died and the ship's secondary defensive weapons were demolished.

The two Drakhs were about to fire their quantum cannons when another ship appeared on their scanners, moving towards them faster than anything they had ever seen moving in normal space.  The profile and energy reading were unmistakable and they turned to meet this new and very dangerous threat.  But ignoring the other EAS fleet was simply too dangerous as they immediately discovered when the resistance EAS ships opened fire.  So they did the only thing they could under the circumstances-

-They called for immediate assistance.   

TBC

Take care, I'm back to writing.  Albert 


	7. Hellos and Goodbyes

**Chapter VII**

Survivors of Voyager were rescued an hour later by the insurgent group lead by the USS _Crazyhorse_.  The Admiral was told that Wildfire survived and assisted in the destruction of the factory complex, before escaping into the safety of the Katasi nebula.  The _Hellion_ shipyards were all but destroyed, however the _Extremes_ survived as did the Command Center, which remained relatively untouched.  A hundred sixty-seven starships were destroyed and another eighty sustained damage of one form or another.  The USS _Enterprise_, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard had suffered as well.  A third of her primary hull had been destroyed along with a fifth of the crew by the remaining missile that continued to track the ship in the nebula for over two hours.  Commander Data had been damaged and Geordi wasn't sure if he could repair his damaged circuitry.  The Starfleet objective had been achieved but the cost was horrific in manpower and equipment.  The allied fleet limped away with the Cylons nipping at their heels all the way until the second Klingon taskforce arrived to relieve the pressure.  The clash, nicknamed the 'the Katasi Conflict', was nearly as costly for both sides as the attack on the Katasi system.   The USS _Melbourne's_ Captain, William Riker's back was broken and suffered from a punctured lung.  Commander Deanna Riker felt her husband's pain and nearly went mad from the psychic backlash and terror for her "Imazdi.  Although serious, he was expected to make a full recovery.  

The Cylons suffered the loss of seventy Basestars, the factory complex and the subspace accelerator. A half million Cylon warriors were lost.  And they didn't care.  This loss meant nothing to them as they were already repairing the damage and rebuilding with machine efficiency.   Plus, their second shipyard was nearly online.

Four days later:

In Fleet Admiral Alynna Necheyev's office, Admiral Janeway, Commander Apollo, Chancellor Martok, Captain Kagth and President Adama stood staring at the three dimensional map of a region of the Beta quadrant.  It was a wide expanse, covering almost three thousand square light-years.  

"This is the search area," Necheyev said, pointing to the three dimensional grid,  "a little less than half the size of the Federation.   It's unexplored territory, the same general area I might add, where the distress signal was sent to by the creatures that almost took over Lieutenant Commander Derrick Remmick and several high ranking officers of Starfleet several years ago.  According to your data, Admiral, our objective is somewhere there.  This is an area that is on the opposite side of previous Colonial space.  The expanse is nearly twelve thousand light years from your previous territory.  You were at the edge of Imperixe space."  She nodded.

Admiral Janeway continued the conversation.  "We know that the general direction was given to the Cylons by the Borg who've been after V'ger children for as long as they've been in existence.  They consider them the final solution, the final path to perfection.  So far, they've failed all their attempts to assimilate the children into the Collective and needless to say, the children hate the Borg.  But now, the Cylons are going to try to make contact with them.  This alliance between the Borg and the Cylons is an uneasy one at best.  The Borg want the children whom the Cylons have offered to give them; however they have another agenda.  They want to contact the creators of V'ger, which is a vast machine society that turned the 20th century _Voyager VI_ spacecraft into a self-aware creature, like themselves.  To them_ Voyager-six,_ although primitivewas a kindred spirit.  If they think of the Cylons in the same way, this galaxy will become a charnel house."

The Chancellor twitched at the information given him.  "How do you come by this information?" he asked.  

"I've had several long talks with Q," she responded.  "To say he dislikes Iblis wouldn't begin to give their relationship justice.   But he can't directly interfere unless the rules are broken.  And he doesn't want the Cylons in contact with the Great Machine Intelligum, as the creators of V'ger call themselves.  He also considers us to primitive to contact them also, but we may not have a choice."

"However, you will have to leave as soon as possible."

"The Battlestar _Galactica_has been rebuilt specifically with this trip in mind.  The tunnel-shift drive has been modified into a fully functional transwarp system.  It's better than any system we've developed and it will do the job nicely.  The solium drive units have been modified as well.  The _Galactica_ can travel at warp speed, maximum warp eight point five."

"The Klingon Battleship _Azetbur_ will also accompany it," Martok grumbled.  He tried to keep the excitement and pride out of his voice but he failed.  The top-of-the-line ship was named for the daughter of Chancellor Gorkon, widely acknowledged as the only Klingon strong enough to initiate the Khitomer accords.  It was a hybrid warship-science vessel, one of a few such blends in the Klingon fleet following the more science initiatives traits of Starfleet.  "It is our newest design and has the latest weapons.  It uses quantum slipstream pulse generator technology."

Only Captain Kagth grunted in surprise.  The technology had been under serious development ever since _Voyager_ first began transmitting the data specs concerning the new FTL technology.  At present the theory was that the method of obtaining FTL speeds using this technique produced a slipstream in a form of, what was being called hyperspace (actually a layer between subspace and normal space), a non-subspace dimension.  Once the energies were funneled thru the array, speeds far faster than maximum warp could be produced without utilizing or damaging subspace itself.  The ships had to be specifically designed for use in the slipstream dimension and the first generation drive unit could only safely attain speeds of approximately one third of the original system.  The ship moved by the manipulation of quantum fields, at present an entirely new science for the Federation and Klingon Empire.  But it worked.  The physics were radically different than warp or transwarp drive, as ships using slipstreams had to travel defined paths to get to established points. Being a warrior he pretended that such things made his head hurt, but secretly he loved reading up on the subject.

"I want to pick my own crew!" he said, failing to keep his excitement out of his voice.

"You will be allowed some freedom, Captain Kagth," Martok said.  "This mission is to help promote Klingon good will across the galaxy."  His face remained as stone as he spoke.  "And to find out more about our future enemies.  I have picked you, because you have good relations with the Colonial humans.  And I have picked one more, Ambassador Worf.  He will work with the Federation on this mission."

The Captain nodded in understanding.  Worf was well known among the Klingons for a variety of reasons.

"One Federation vessel will accompany you on the trip," Necheyev added. "Admiral Janeway will be in command of the mission.  Commander Apollo and Captain Kagth will each report to her. She understands what you will be dealing with.  There is more, but you will each receive your orders when you're underway."

"I will be going as well," Adama said.

"With all due respect, Mr. President, I would recommend that you stay here.  Frankly you would be an unneeded reliability to this mission and your presence…"

"Fleet Admiral Necheyev."  His voice was quiet and it shook with fury.  "We fully appreciate everything that you and the Klingon Empire has done for us.  But we are not part of the Federation.  Your people were still riding animals and carried sharpened sticks when we traveled the stars.  I respect your authority and you will respect mine and my choice."    

"That's telling her, Adama," said a voice from nowhere-before Necheyev could respond.  A familiar flash and the Q's, both father and son, were there, he, dressed as a Fleet Admiral and his son a mere Captain.  "Humans have little understanding of their place in the scheme of things.  That's why you keep finding and messing things up.  The Colonials with the Cylons, the Federation and the Borg, the Alliance with the Sys…"  He stopped and smiled.  "Hey I'm getting way ahead of myself.  Besides that's not your concern.  Do you know why Iblis hates you?"  He answered before anyone could speak.

"He hates and fears you because of what you may become.  Your race has spread itself among the stars with a vengeance, so fast that in the galactic scheme of things, it's as though you're traveling like lightning.  Long ago in galaxies far away, there were Empires and Republics twenty-five thousand old, who have forgotten more than you have ever learned.  Yet you advance so quickly, if there were a war between you two, say fifty years from now, it would end in a draw.  A mere hundred years from now they wouldn't have a chance of winning.  But you would still know nothing.  Why?  Because, you are still clueless about the fundamentals of the universe.  Your enlightened Prime Directive, primitive and as short sighted as it is, does, I admit serve a minor function.  But there will be times when it will threaten to destroy you all."  

"You must understand, that like a little child, the Federation is just at the age where it's getting interesting.  But you are still children feeling your way around a universe waiting to step on you.   Years ago when I first spoke to Picard I warned him, but like all humans, he didn't understand what I was trying to say and so ignored the truth.  He's improved now with my tutelage, but you're still out here, groping along, stumbling from one place to another about to see wonders and terrors that will test your sanity."  

"The importance of this mission precludes any one individual, Q.  It is my job to make sure this mission succeeds by using whatever means I deem fit."

"I agree, human.  You simply don't understand how high the stakes are," Q answered her.  "What happens on this mission will ultimately change your understanding of the universe, or guarantee your extinction.  There are other factors, that we will be watching very closely."

"As in?"

"Humans must understand this one thing.  Your knowledge, your science is meaningless.  How well you conduct yourselves will be more important than what you do."  Q gave her a rueful smile.  "Such fire, such arrogance, Necheyev.  You remind me of the 'old ball and chain'.  And you, Fleet Admiral are worried about whether one man should or shouldn't go one this mission.  The point is, Adama is needed.  While you, Necheyev and your pitiful people are fighting to save the Alpha quadrant, they will be trying to save the galaxy, and more.  They will remember Adama long after your entire historical existence is dust.  I have told Kate what she needs to know.  The Cylons have already left on their journey.  You should do the same.  And get ready for the time of your lives."  

With that, he snapped his fingers and the two of them disappeared.

**_Deep Space Twenty-Three:_**

Captain Quangnat was not pleased.  First the Cylons had tried to ram a Basestar into his station and now his station was in the heart of the war.   His station had been designated the embarkation point for Bravo fleet.  Over two hundred ships had just moved out to join the fighting near the Cardassian border.  The Cylons had made a stand there and weren't moving.  _Deep Space Nine_ was just as heavily involved with fighting throughout the Bajoran territories.  The Cylons were trying to annex the wormhole in an apparent effort to destroy it.  Evidently they didn't trust the Dominion not to get into the war. And they were right to worry.  The Dominion was waiting for an excuse to enter the conflict.  They were just as worried as the Federation was.  The Cylon production capability was simply too great to ignore.  No, he wasn't happy, but he would have been far less happy if the fleet wasn't here.  How had Sisko done it and remained sane? 

"Of course, he was the Emissary," he murmured sarcastically.   

Outside his window, floating majestically in the void was the Colonial Republic's Battlestar _Galactica_.  Its refit completed, it looked more formidable than when he had first seen it.  The front dual sensor array, pulse quantum energy collector and mammoth twin rotating pulse disruptor cannons was intimidating to say the least.  The side mounted warp nacelles sat flushed to the downsized-flattened solium subspace engines. Every seventy seconds, two of the _Viper_ _Two's_ and _Three's_ entered in the spacious landing bays.  The _Cobras_ squadrons had already landed, as had the two _Adders, _both of whom had docked on the undercarriage of the Battlestar.  They were already two _Sabers_ docked underneath as well.

Next to her, floated a Klingon battleship, of unknown configuration, as big as a _Sovereign_–class starship.  It was a tapered vehicle with fairly thickened wings.  The overall design looked more Romulan than Klingon, he thought, and more triangular-shaped, armed to the teeth, of course.   It was their version of an explorer-class vessel probably shaped like that to facilitate movement when using slipstream.  Personally he would have loved to get a good look inside, but he didn't have the time.  They would be leaving within the next four hours and he couldn't afford the luxury.  But he did wish-just for a fleeting second-that he too, was going.   

Admiral Janeway, her First Officer, Commander Chakotay and a Romulan Commander, were the last to be transported to the third of the three vessels that would make the journey into unknown territory.  The _USS Colin Powell_, a modified Sovereign, fifteen meters larger, boasting a crew compliment of thirteen hundred.  Outfitted with the latest scientific advances, labs and environmental friendly warp drive with a cruising speed of warp nine point two.  The nacelles were similar to the _Intrepid_ class, adjusting position to maximize warp efficiency.  It also boasted a working pulse-quantum slipstream field generator.  Like its Klingon counterpart, the new slipstream shielding allowed the ship to better transit and resist the intense strain that slipstream brought to bear on the ships hull.  The generator itself could only be used for one point five hour's duration, equivalent to seven thousand light-years.  It was a milestone in FTL travel, but still first generation technology.  The system had been rigorously tested and pronounced fit-whatever that meant.  Her experiences had proven that 'fit' didn't necessarily mean that it would work as claimed.

Her first stop was the engine room. Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres-Paris was there, yelling for last minute adjustments and generally whipping the engineering into shape-her idea of it.

"I didn't think they could do it," she said to the Admiral.  "The power utilization is still higher than I'd like but the Starfleeters did okay."

Kathryn resisted rolling her eyes.  B'Elanna still resisted fully joining the 'club' even though _she was_ Starfleet.  "We sent them the specs over a year ago. They've been working on it since then.  I expected them to get it right.  How's the baby?"  
  


"All tucked away and settled in.  She's a Starfleet brat all the way," she said with pride.  "She's running around still biting furniture."

_What a change in this woman_, Kathryn thought ruefully.  "Good.  I shall leave things in your capable hands."

On the bridge, the first person she was Tuvok at his station.  He looked better than she expected considering the injuries sustained on _Voyager_.  The Vulcan's eyebrow rose a fraction when he saw who was with her.  It was unprecedented to have a Romulan Commander onboard.  

Tom was there seated at navigations, excited and depressed at the same time.  She walked over to him and touched him on the shoulder.  "I miss him, too," she whispered."

"Yes, Ma'am," he whispered back.  "He would have loved this."

"I know."

To Tom's left, was another officer, getting comfortable, as it were.

"It's good to see you here, Commander Data. Welcome aboard."

"I am glad to be here, Admiral.  I hope that I may contribute to the mission according to expectations."  

"I'm sure you will."  Geordi's team had done an excellent job in repairing Data.

"Greetings, Commander Sela," Data said.  " I hope you, will find this mission enlightening."

"If she could have shot him, she would have.  She hated being here.   She hated Data and what he-it-had done to her.  She hated the Federation.  She hated the Colonials.  

-And she needed to be here.  Tomalak supreme Commander of the Romulan defense force had ordered her to.  Her people had a stake in this also.  And her history made her an obvious choice.  She hated that also.

The suggestion to add Data to the crew had been Picard's.   What better way to show the children of an amalgam of organic and machine our intentions by having a crew of both organic and inorganic entities, humanoid and non-humanoid, carbon based and silicon-based, working together achieve a common goal?"

It was sound logic and she jumped at the suggestion.  And the two Hortas Ensigns in geophysical sciences were an added bonus.  Then there was Commander Worf, another addition to the bridge crew, looking all serious and stoic at tactical.  She nodded and he nodded back.

"Admiral," Worf said.  His eyes returned to the defense systems control system.   

He had never seen so many weapons systems on a Starfleet ship in his life.  Two layers of multiphasic shielding, phaser arrays, isomagnetic disintegrator banks, photon and quantum torpedoes, and transphasic warheads; evidently Necheyev and Janeway weren't taking any chances, he thought in rapturous approval.   The addition of the transphasic weapons was a nice touch.  He had heard of the arguments against them and thought the opponents were fools.  Not surprisingly, many of the front liners believed the same thing.    

"Mr. Worf, glad to have you onboard."  She turned to Communications.  "Give me shipwide."

"Aye, Admiral.  Shipwide."

"This is Admiral Janeway.  I want to say to all of you, welcome aboard. There are those here that have served with me before and those who have served this vessel, making it ready for this great undertaking we are about to embark on.  You have far more experience with the internal workings on this ship that I could possibly understand and I will be counting on that expertise to pull this mission off and get us back safely.  Our families are onboard and we will be responsible for their safety and we will not let them down.  Our mission is to contact the descendants of the entity called V'ger.  It's also the mission of the Cylons, so it's a race that we must win not only for the Federation, but also for our families and the Alpha quadrant.  I can't stress enough the importance of this mission.  So let's be on our toes, do what we've been trained for and we will succeed.  One last thing.  This request was made by Fleet Admiral Necheyev, and what she wants she usually gets.  Because of this mission, this vessel has been renamed from the _Colin Powell_ to the USS _Voyager _B, in honor of another ship which I am proud to say, served its crew excellently, thru seven years of hardship and pain.  She brought her crew safely thru the storm-home.  May this ship do as well…"

**The Battlestar Galactica:**

On the bridge, Commander Apollo stood next to his son, Captain Boxey and Lieutenant Joliet. "Are you ready?"

Boxey gave a resounding yes, but Joliet was less enthused.  

"I fell strange leaving the people that I have protected so long, to go on this mission."

"Our people at Mariposa are better protected than eve before.  They have the _Pegasus_ and Commander Cain with Wildstar. They have the Federation and the Klingons and the Colonial remnant fleet, which is getting stronger everyday, making sure that nothing happens to them.  If we don't go, the Cylons might become too powerful.  We have to stop that from happening.  They are our ancient enemies and we brought them here.  It's our responsibility to stop them from destroying everything."

"But I feel responsible.  I feel like we're about to abandon them."

"I know.  The President and I feel the same way.  But we both understand that what's at stake.   Our squadrons, especially the _Cobras_ must train even harder.  I want you Boxey, to work them.  I don't know what's out there, but there is a Cylon taskforce searching for the same thing as we are.   They're the best that they have.  We know one of them is the _Turrent_, the same Basestar that destroyed every vessel it came in contact with.   It's as fast as we are with possibly more firepower.   I need the squadron in top form, especially with the _Peregrines_.  They may have had better technology by we've had a lot more experience.  They need as much practice as they can get and we need to teach how to work with each other and ourselves better.   If we make a mistake with our limited resources, the Cylons won't give us a second chance to do better."

"Well then, we better not make any mistakes."

Why did the room suddenly feel chillier?

**Epilogue**

High Lieutenant Athena and Lieutenant Commander Thomas William Riker had just left, leaving him alone with his wife and the glowing crystal in front of him.  Tinia sat next to her husband speechless.

"Why now?" asked Adama.

"Because you asked," the Aeriana answered within their minds.  The crystal shard pulsated with an inner light.  It was brighter now, as it generated internal energy that suffused the room with its light.  "I understand that you are living beings.  Communication is possible now.  I have made it so.  I will provide balance."

"I don't how long it will take."

"How long?  What is time to a star?"

There was laughter from the creature called Iblis as the three Starships warped away towards the unknown regions of the Beta quadrant.  The game had progressed.  There were unknown variables, but the future would be bathed in Blood.  

He would make sure of it.  And he would make Q suffer.

Q and Q, and Amanda, John and Trelane were watching also.  "I almost envy them," Q whispered.  "Everything will be new to them."

"Well, let's make sure that Iblis doesn't interfere."

"Four to one should be enough."

Q grunted.  "I have faith in Kate.  I just hope they brought enough with them.  This is _not _going to be easy."

The five of them disappeared. 

Next: The Search for V'ger.

Notes: Instead of adding a new story I have decided to add the full 'Search' to this portion, hopefully starting in November.  The first 7 chapters will be the same as this, but starting at chapter 8, it will continue until the completing of the story and it will have a different title.  Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions and I hope that will be able to bring you a story that will be interesting and enjoyable to everyone.

Annika's name is Anika Hanson-Chakotay.  I will correct this ASAP.  Sorry.

You may also notice that I have brought Trelane and a couple of other things that were mentioned briefly in the 'Gleanings' arc of the story.  Their importance will become clear in this next portion of the story.  Most of the ST experts will notice also that I have placed the 'signal' of Imperixe space in the Beta quadrant and not the Gamma-Delta region.  There is a reason for this as there have been explorations by the various series of the Gamma and Delta quadrants.  I'm about to go off in a tangent so, I wanted a bit of freedom to do play out the storyline, hence the move.

Thanks again, everyone.

Reading suggestions:

"Farscape: The lost warrior" series by Neil Gartner (fanfiction.net)

"Destiny's Child" (fanfiction.net) by Andrew James Williams.

"Culture Shock" by Senmut located at www.mirarialpacafarm.com/~archives.  He also has a few interesting crossovers on fanfiction.net.

"The Thirteenth Colony Series" by SG07 on fanfiction.net

"The Tangled web series" by Charles Nelson is also on Fanfiction.net


	8. The Search Begins

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

BOOK II 

Note:  This is a direct continuation of the 'Katasi War' episode.  Although a complete self-contained story, I strongly suggest that you read the earlier stories to get a full understanding of what is going on here.   Finally I am getting to the Imperixe and the Sinhindrea.   Also because of the continual changes due to the 'temporal cold war' occurring even as we speak.  I have added the Xindi into the mix.  As of a few weeks ago it wasn't part of the time line.  However as I have said before, things are changing and no one even notices it.  I am edging closer to the B5 saga slowly  and am now playing catch up here.   The updates will be slow at first but I will soon match both stories.  So please read and let me know what you think.. and Happy Thanksgiving-don't eat too, too much. AG

For those who knew Admiral Kathryn Janeway intimately, the excitement she radiated couldn't completely shut out the mixture of remorse that permeated every part of her aura.  That was the one greatest problem that anyone faced as a commander.  It was the other side of the coin, glory and satisfaction and disaster and defeat.  You couldn't have one without experiencing the other.  How those situations were faced was the defining criteria of anyone who led.  

However, Kathryn was tired. Even after all of these months being home, she hadn't rested, not completely. There had simply been too much to do, like help save her personal little portion of space.  The woman _was_ tired, but if some of the sorrow and remorse still pressed her, it didn't threaten to engulf her.  Yes, the Admiral could feel the excitement on her ship and her crew, both new and old.  However, there was a profound sadness as well.  As crowded as this ship was, it felt empty.  She was happy to have been able to complete her promise to get her crew home.  Then Harry died.  And that tore her heart wide open.  There hadn't been time to mourn the dead and it hurt to have experience the personal loss of so many-but Harry's death hurt her the most.  He and the others of the original _Voyager_, the people she spent seven years eating with, ordering around and living with, were family.  She had lost family under her charge.  Kathryn determined not to lose more.  The time for mourning would come later, when she could do it properly.  Right now she was going to 'make a difference', as Picard had told her once.  And he got that from another Captain who wore the 'big chair' as well as anyone ever had. 

She understood this and she sat in the 'big chair' sat for a moment, taking in everything around her.  There was a grim-faced amusement reflected in her face, as she watched Lieutenant Tom Paris, whose' smile threatened to turn radioactive, prepare for the jump into slipstream space.  Over the comms, Lieutenant B'Elanna Paris' voice seemed tense with excitement as she literally screamed final orders to her harried staff.  Lieutenant Commander Worf, Klingon Ambassador-at-large, looked stoic, as though he'd been at her tactical station all of his life. He would serve as intermediary for her and the Klingons at large.  And Commander Data, with his emotion chip activated, seemed almost make his hand movements on his station controls look as if were a dance.  Again, she marveled at the ship, her ship.  It was big, far bigger that her old science vessel.  It gave her a sense of power and she luxuriated with it.  This ship boasted the latest innovations in the state-of-the-art Federation technology including the new zero point warp core that increased the power input to almost three hundred fifty percent, running at ninety percent power. 

But she still missed her old _Intrepid_.  And this renamed _Voyager _gave her a vague sense of _deja vous_.  Those feelings caused her to look up the history of the man known as Colin Powell, whose name this starship was originally named after.  She knew the historical basics of his life that ended just before world war three even if the reports were sketchy during those dark times.   What she did find surprised her.  

Colin Powell, once an official in Colonel Green's ultra conservative administration was credited as one of the major resistance leaders who gathered the nation-states of that time together to defend against genocidal actions of the Green Cartel.  He was also credited for preventing his rigid-minded administration from starting world war three years sooner than it had occurred. What was not well known was that he was directly responsible for destroying the biogenetic bombs Green had developed to destroy the feared Soong dynasty.  The result would have caused the deaths of several hundred million people.   Enraged by the loss of those weapons but unable to catch him, Green had the city where the secretive resistance leaders were supposed to have met, nuked.  It was assumed that Powell died in the explosion that claimed several million lives and irradiated Austin, Texas for nearly three decades.  That one vicious act signaled the beginning of world war three.  Colin had made a difference and paid for it with his life.  The name was a grand one and she would have been more than honored for her ship to continuing to bare the name. 

Commander Tuvok, physically well now, remained quietly in the background, in charge of internal security and sensors command and control.  To know whether he was excited about the mission or not, was deemed impossible by most people, however Janeway knew.  For a Vulcan, he was practically bouncing up and down.  

She was also sure that Anika Chakotay** was happy in Astrometrics, ordering around her staff with Borg-like efficiency-with a touch of humanity added.  The Doctor had done his job well.  She was now able to express emotion without her implants countering them.  She was much more expressive now.  And Kathryn was sure that her husband was happy with that.  Speaking of which-**

The First Officer Chakotay sat next to her; doing the billion things the Captain of a ship never had time for.  He had at first declined an offer of the Captaincy in order to accompany this mission, but Starfleet forced it on him. And now he was at her side, the Captain of this fine ship.   He and a few others on this ship were former Marquis, resistance members against the Federation before the Dominion war.  B'Elanna, several others and he himself, had been the ones she had tracked into the Badlands in order to apprehend them and bring them to Federation justice.  Whether they were in the right or not wasn't the point.  She and _Voyager _were ordered to bring them in.   Her reward for doing her duty was seven years trapped in the Delta quadrant with her prey for the ride.  In retrospect, what the Federation had done was controversial to say the least.  With the Federation trying to appease the Cardassians by hunting down their own Federation members-who were fighting for their lives against those same Cardassians- for the sake of a false peace still galled her.  In fact, the Federation's actions had split Starfleet down the middle and that division came as close to starting a civil war as anything that had ever happened in Starfleet.  Then, Jean-Luc had told her of his mission to remove the long established colony of humans native to North American from their planet that they had colonized for several generations in order to give it to the Cardies.  It felt to him like a repeat of what the North Americans had done to the Native Americans in the 1800's, and he was French. 

She would not have wanted to touch that mission with a ten-meter stick…

Things had certainly changed, now.  The majority of the Federation member worlds now believed that those policies were a mistake and that the Federation had perpetrated a terrible injustice.  Unfortunately most people barely knew what the fuss had been about.  

The Cardassians were a former shell of what they were and their territories were far smaller now and they were fighting for their lives against a new enemy, the Cylon Empire.  They, as well as several other species in the Alpha quadrant, were found to be related to humans and such were slated for extermination by the Cylons.   

The sound of Chakotay's voice interrupted her train of thought, most likely on purpose.  He knew her too well.

"The _Azetbur _is giving us the green light," he announced in his heavy stoic voice.  "Their quantum generator is online.  The _Galactica's_ transwarp engines are activated."  He looked at her expectantly.  

"Well then, its time we start," she began.  "Quantum engines online. Configure metaphasic shields for slipstream travel."

"Long-range sensors active," Worf grumbled.  He looked indifferent, but somehow at the same time, he conveyed a sense of joy at being here.  "We are clear for slipstream."

"Mr. Paris?" she asked the smiling man.  "Engage."  

"Yes, Ma'am, engaging…"

His fingers had finished their tasks before he had finished the sentence the Admiral noted. 

***

The _Galactica's_ modified tunnel-shift energizers hummed with power. Former President Adama, at his son's instance, sat in the command chair watching the procedure for light-speed commence.  The bridge crew was excitedly working their stations in preparations for this historic event.  This time however it would be different.  The tunnel-shifting modification had converted the propulsion system into a true full fledged transwarp drive, not having the restrictions of Federation and Klingon slipstream FTL systems.  Standard lightspeed now matched accepted Federation warp speeds.  The experimental chronometric particle generator seemed to be working according to specs.  Copied from a Borg design, the generator would theoretically keep temporal distortions to a minimum. 

Strike Commander Starbuck observed the stars going by on the main screen, trying to reconcile the difference he was seeing out the window as compared to the computer simulation.  That served only to give him a headache, in a good way, of course.  So much was different now.  Alien humans, as well as a few real ones, were on the bridge and he enjoyed watching them interact with his own people.  

"We're ready on your order, Commander Starbuck," Lexea, the dark –skinned, junior navigator said.  She was from Ligon III, immigrated to Mariposa and one of the new recruits who had immediately joined the Colonial fleet.  Coordinates are set."

Apollo nodded.  "Lightspeed," he said. To him that sounded so much better than saying 'transwarp'.  That sounded too alien, too Starfleet. 

The ship began to move faster as it transitioned from warp factor to transwarp.  The vid screen indicated stars that simply moved faster and faster, but he really didn't noticed.  His eyes were glued to the transparent aluminum screen as it went ablaze with color and filtered light all swirling together in patterns he and the others looking at the window had never seen before.  Watching it was intoxicating, terrifying and additive all at the same time.  

"I wonder if the Federation people even notice this anymore?  The beauty of it all is so…so breath-taking."

Apollo heard his sister but said nothing.  There was nothing more to add. She was correct in her assessment.  It was magnificent.  And he hoped he would never lose the wonder and excitement of traveling faster-than-light, going to Lord knows where.

"We're on course, time to first rendezvous is one centar, twelve point one-two centons."

"Good, Adama," said tearing himself away from the superb sight.   "Athena, I want you and lieutenant Riker in the science quarter in ten centons."

"Yes, father."

***

In the captain's chair, Captain Kagth sat looking a bored as possible.  However, it took everything he had not to jump up and start inspecting bridge systems.  That action would be unseemly and it would make his crew nervous with him looking over their shoulder.  Well, he thought, they'd get used to him.  They were young, competent and eager or so the Chancellor had told him.  Except for several of his original crewmembers that he had handpicked to come with him, he knew very few of the young ones.  He intended to change that also.   This was a new ship with new rules.  He wanted them to be comfortable; not like the soft Federation vessels, but less on-edge.  This was going to be a long trip and he wanted his people to be flexible. 

The ship was quiet, no creaking and the new metaphasic and navigational shields were holding nicely against the strain of slipstream.  He had to tear his eyes away from the screen, the sight being so intoxicating.  There would be time enough to gaze later.

"You," he yelled pointing to a junior engineering officer who had just taken her station.  "What is your name?"

"Yannsi," the young terrified female answered, far too loudly.  "Of the family of Karlell."   

The Captain stared at her for a few moments.  She was afraid but she could see potential within her.  "You will do well," he said to her and smiled evilly as she let out a breath.  Confidence in their job and Captain—that's what he wanted.  Now he had to teach them to control their more-expressive emotions.   There was value in that, as the Starbuck had taught him in those games of chance.  

Now, how much did he still owe that human? 

***

Lieutenant Thomas William Riker and High Lieutenant Athena eased almost reverently next to the President, or ex-President now since he had resigned his title and Sire Forsen had taken his place.  

Riker had filled out nicely, Athena noticed out of the corner of her eye. Now, he looked a lot more like his opposite, William.  But that haunted look was still there, even if lessened by time.  Torture did that to you, but he was still coming around and seemed more relaxed now.   Now, there was a sparkle in his eyes, just like hers.  

Adama stood off to the side, mesmerized by the giant diamond-like crystal glowing with internal energies in front of them.  Right now, it was pulsating blue white in a pattern Adam had never seen before.

"Enter lifeforms," it whispered into their very souls.  It wasn't telepathy but something more fundamental, something, a form of communication that some of the Colonial scientists suggested that spoke to the very molecules of the body.

_'We are made of star stuff', someone said long ago,_ Riker thought.

"You are correct, one called Riker," the star whispered.  It read his mind, or more properly it translated and responded to his electrical and chemical processes that made up the thoughts.  "You are the waste matter of stars, of my kind.  We thought you nothing more than waste, but to my surprise, you are life of a kind.  So small, so fleeting.  So strange is this Universe."

"Why?  Adama asked. 

"The one called Q spoke to you.  You responded.  I became aware.  You are life as different as we understand."

"You heard me speak to Q? And the others?"

"Yes," it immediately answered.  "The energy patterns communed with you.  I did not understand why.  Now I understand."

"We have never considered that stars would be alive," Adama said.  "In our understanding, we understood how you are born, live and die, but never as a true living entity."

"Your knowledge is incomplete, for you are yet but small," it whispered to their bodies.  "What you call death is not.  It is birth, to be what we shall become.  We become, as you understand, absorbers or light, or pulsars, or crystals.  We are born to become."

"I don't understand," Riker said.  "You are formed from the matter and dust of other stars.  You grow and become cohesive.  You emit gravity.  You produce light, radiation, heat, energy particles.  Your emissions give life to countless types of life forms that require what you have to sustain us.  You grow old and die.  With that, you mimic us, but it still isn't the same."

"I have studied you, life form Riker and others of your kind," it answered patiently.  "Does not your chemistry reproduce itself in specific manners?  Does not that reproduction continue life forms variants that cease to exist when you are no more?  Your birth is not the end but the beginning of something new.  In that we are the same.  Heat, light, energy is simply gestation.  When we change, that is birth."

Athena felt terrible.  _All the experimentation on the crystals, all of the cutting_ and we had no idea what we were doing.  "We are so sorry, we didn't understand."

The diamond seemed full of humor.  "You still do not understand for you are still but young.  That is the way it must be for now.  Cutting, separation, movement are meaningless to one such as I.  I am more than the sum of light, or carbon, or energy or emissions.  I am what I am and you cannot harm one such as I.  Do what seems fit.  You have allowed me to travel to see others of my kind, to listen to the voices instead of the whispers and I am content.  Use my physical-ness as you desire.  No more 'spikes' as you call them; a balance will be maintained, for in the end, it is but small."

Athena and her father were smiling perhaps a bit hysterically.  

The implications were huge.  The Aeriana crystal, which in many ways seemed to be little more than pure carbon, had a tendency to emit more than ten sometimes even twenty times the energy pumped into it.  It also absorbed tremendous amounts of energy without leakage.  The reactions were unpredictable and uncontrollable, as the Colonials had discovered during their earliest experiments.  Even the Federation scientists had failed to fully contain the reactions when using Aeriana fragments and now Adama and the others understood why.  This entity, by its own choice, it would regulate itself and if it were true then the potential for weapons and energy production were vast.  

"Thank you," was all that Adama was finally able to think of to say.  

The crystal simply pulsated faster.

***

In the 'Deck Ten oasis', _Voyager's_ version of Ten Forward, Commander Worf and Commander Data sat comfortably at a table that overlooked the transparent aluminum window, engrossed in deep conversation.  

"I am glad that you are here commander Worf.  It will take some getting used to feel comfortable on this vessel after being on the various _Enterprises_ for so long.  My processors had gotten used to the sights and sounds there."

Worf grunted in agreement.  He would have to get used to this ship as well.  "_Voyager_ is a good ship.  Admiral Janeway is a competent officer.  And the armament on this vessel is impressive."  That was what endeared this ship to the ex-ambassador.

Yes, there was more weaponry here than on any previous Federation starship ever designed.  The forward isomagnetic disintegrator and phaser arrays were formidable.  The photon and quantum class torpedoes were faster, more accurate.  There were the transphasic torpedoes, courtesy of a future Admiral Janeway.  Voyager also boasted independent banks of the new experimental, variable yield, transphasic-quantum torpedoes, re-designed for speed, accuracy and increased ability to burn thru jamming fields while tracking their targets.  Worf couldn't wait to test one of those futuristic weapons in battle.  The yield was more powerful than anything he expected.   A six hundred isoton yield was impressive to say the least.  Evidently Starfleet was expecting a truly glorious battle and had equipped the starship accordingly. The ship carried its own compliment of twelve next generation _Peregrine _fighters equipped with multiphasic, regenerative shielding.  It sported the new extendable ablative armor like the _Voyager_ of old.  There was a sizable contingent of well-armed marines onboard as well.  But it was also a formidable science vessel, with over a hundred individual labs of every description.  Unlike the first _Sovereigns _developed, this one conformed more to the aims and desires of the Federation as a ship of exploration rather than a ship of war.   The irony was that this _was_ a ship of war.

"With weapons such as we have onboard _Voyager_, does it not defeat the intent of the Federation?  Starfleet is designed as a defensive force, but lately it we have been at war with a variety of species and it seems that the very essence of what we are, continues to evolve beyond our capability to fully understand.  If this continues, we may be facing a crossroad that will define us for generations to come."

"What are you implying?"

"This is simply an observation."

"We Klingons have weapons similar to the Federation's," Worf answered.  "They will be used to maintain a balance between the Klingon Empire and the Federation."  That didn't answer the question and he knew it.  "We develop these weapons because there are others who are doing the same thing.  You are aware of what the Xindi are continuing incursions against Earth.   There must be a counter wait.  You read Janeway's report while in the Delta quadrant. 

"I have.  Species 8472 used weapons sufficient to completely destroy a Borg populated planet.  They have since opened negotiations with the Federation and no longer pose a threat."

"Whether Starfleet is forced into this new role or not, the mandate is clear.  The Cylons will not hesitate to use everything at their disposal to destroy every humanoid species they encounter.  Their offensive and defensive weapons continue to improve.  It would be foolish not to do likewise."

"I understand.  I am simply making an observation.  Different species continue to strive to be more that what they are.  Although I am an android, I seek to do the same thing.  The Cylons do not.  They have improved, but their basic programming remains the same and in that, they are still limited.  As for me, I choose to believe in overcoming my limitations and I wish to see what the Federation will become in the future."

Worf's only answer was to take a deeper breath.  Truth was, curiosity was biting at him as well. 

***

The ship engines were designed to mimic the _Intrepid's_ ability to manipulate warp fields, producing a more efficient warp bubble, by moving the nacelles.  However all of that went out of the window with the introduction of the zero point warp core.  Now the ship boasted a pair of double pylons, separated by the thickness of one pylon, placed in the struts 'up' position.  Now, the ship could accelerate from zero to warp nine point three in less than three seconds.  It was a new technology and B'Elanna and the engineering crew worked with it carefully.  Their motto was to never trust anything new until _they_ were satisfied.  After all, it was they who would have to live with the thing.  

Data and Worf continued quiet their conversation, catching up on things.

"I was aware that you had married," Data continued.  "I would have like to had met her."

Just for a moment, Worf's eyes glazed over, then he was back to normal.  "Jadzia was a worthy mate.  She", he paused looking for the correct word.   "She-understood me."

For the next few moments they were quiet.  Years of shared camaraderie gave them a understanding.  Then Data fixed his eyes on Worf.  "The presence of Sela onboard, has caused me to remember Tasha in ways that I had not considered before.  Time has passed, but I have missed her presence.  Occasionally when I dream, I see her alive and well, next to you on the bridge of the _Enterprise-D_.  Lieutenant Commander Worf, it has been many years since her death, but I still feel her passing.  Because I am an android, my memory has not dimmed.  I have all the memories of our encounters when she was alive, yet in my dreams, I create new encounter to augment those memories.  At first, I believed that there was something wrong with my processors and I ran several diagnostics but found nothing amiss.  Deanna explained to me that the human mind is in constant flux.  Because I attempt to imitate humanity, my own subconscious strives to recreate instances and images that are important to me.  I understand the concept.  However in certain ways, the process still eludes me."  

Worf said nothing, lost in thought as Data continued.  "In Klingon culture, when someone dies, the body is considered only an empty shell to be discarded, since the essence of the person is no longer there.  Did you feel the same way when you wife died?"

The Klingon sipped his prune juice.  There was a time in his life when he would have preferred not to answer such a personal question, but it was something worth thinking about.  "When Jadzia died, I felt as though my life was ending," he started.  "I wanted revenge; to strike out against my enemy consumed my thoughts.  I wanted to die in glorious battle to relieve me from the thoughts that burned my mind.  Her body was only an empty shell, but at the time, I did not see it that way.  To hold her unmoving form gave me a comfort I knew I would never have again.  But she was also worthy of honor and I had to honor all that she was."  He touched his chest in a partial salute.  "There is always a place for her here," he said, then finished his drink.   "It is good that you keep Tasha alive in your mind.  She was worthy of that honor."

***

The two alpha quadrant vessels came out of slipstream exactly one point five hours and three thousand light-years outside known Federation space.  The _Galactica_ arrived eighteen seconds later in a blaze of spatial distortion.

"Welcome to Imperixe space."

Tuvok scanned the area in front of him in a state of, what was for him, shock.  "I was unaware that their territory was so close."  

"Kathryn merely nodded.  "They're within knocking distance of the Federation border.  Their territories are vast and the only reason that we haven't heard more from them is because they are occupied with the Borg and another aggressive government.  But that hasn't stopped them from making inroads into our territory.  In their own way, they're as bad as the Borg."

"I find that difficult to believe," Tuvok responded.  "Although they have been damaged, the Borg still represent a significant threat in the Alpha quadrant and other areas where the deem to travel.   The transwarp hub is a convenience however they possess transwarp capability.  In the past they have expended relatively few resources in their attempts to take over the Federation and the surrounding territories.   If they chose to do so, they will come in mass."  

"There's a reason for that," the Admiral answered.  "With the threat of Species 8472, the Borg have spent many of their resources battling the Imperixe and the Sinhindrea.  The Cionas are impervious to Borg assimilation who, from what I've heard, constantly influence drones, destroying them from the inside.  These creatures don't care whether they live or die, as long as they complete their mission.  In many ways they are their own collective, drawing strength from each other in times of need.  They biologically adapt to anything the Borg have yet to devise and unless the collective is on guard, it is they who may become assimilated."

"Fascinating.  The Borg have the ability to adapt to almost any attack.  That, in fact is their greatest strength."

"So we've been told.  However as we've seen, the Borg have their limitations.  Species Eight-four-seven-two is proof of that.  As I've mentioned before, the Imperixe biologically adapt almost as fast as Borg nanites."

"That is why so many worlds have been conquered by them.  And being parasites, even intelligent ones, they are driven by their need to expand.  They need new hosts."

"And that's us," Janeway concluded.  "The Ciona Imperixe are in a war with the Sinhindrea.  As the Sinhindrea expand so do the Imperixe as they need fresh host to continue the war.  We're also here to find the children.  That's one of our main priorities, but we are also here to evaluate the severity of their threat potential.  That's why we have three ships committed to this mission."

"Admiral, if I may be so bold," he continued.  "How did you acquire this information?"

"It was a part of a deal that I made with Q," she answered, smiling brightly at his response.

"Tuvok's eyebrow raised a centimeter.  "Is this information reliable?"

"Yes, although it did come at a price.  I agreed to do a job for him." She smiled as Tuvok's eyebrow increased in height.

TBC


	9. Imperixe

Chapter 9 

                                               **Parasites: Ciona Imperixe-part one **

The _Galactica_:

Oshella, daughter of Tarshia, formally of the planet Ligon II, now a citizen of the Maripose-Colonial republic, scanned the surrounding space carefully for any sign of life.  She hadn't been with the ship long, this was her first tour of duty, but she'd already been in two major battles on this floating fortress and those experiences left her with a heightened sensitivity about being caught off-guard.  If one could describe her general demeanor with one word, that word would be 'diligent'.  There were several planets within scanner range, three of them inhabitable.  The planets had abundant plant life and there were signs of civilization, but so far, there was little to no indication of animal life.  Passive scans of the cities uncovered no detectable power sources.  The buildings were in various states of decay and the indigenous plantlife had overtaken most of the buildings.

The dark-skinned twenty-six year old checked the scans once more.  She wanted to perform a more detailed examination but her orders were clear-passive scans until told otherwise.

She touched her communications padd.  "Commander Apollo," she said.  "Scanners find signs of intelligent life but there is no animal life.  The planets are abandoned."

"Please specify."

"There are lots of indications that there were civilizations there once.  They're not there now.  It's as though the entire population simply relocated approximately a hundred Yahren ago."

"Understood.  Keep scanning."

***

Deep in thought, Apollo frowned.  Next to him Starbuck shared a knowing look.  After all the years working with one another and sharing so many experiences on the _Galactica_, they could almost read one another's thoughts.

"If we had deviated just a few degrees from our original direction, we would have wound up here."

Apollo grunted in agreement.  It wasn't a pleasant sound.

"As bad as the Cylons were, the old ones I mean," he added quickly, "this would have been far worse."  He opened his padd and contacted Oshella once more.  "Please perform a tight-beamed scan when we get a little closer.  We need as much data as possible."

"Yes, sir," she said.  "But Commander," she added. "Just because these planets are abandoned doesn't mean that the entire sector is like this."

"Ensign, we're at the edge of a civilization of intelligent parasites," Starbuck explained.  "Whole sectors has been spit up and chewed out.  They've destroyed hundreds of worlds and an untold number of sentients, so many that our combined loses of the twelve colonies would barely put a dent into the overall numbers.  These things," he added for emphasis, "use their hosts and then discard what's left of them like trash.  Like I said before, they've gone through hundreds of worlds, leaving a wake a weakened, unhealthy, burned out population that will take generations to recover, if they don't all die out first. Throughout their life cycles they are constantly looking for healthy replacements and that requires them to constantly spread themselves out.  

He saw the young lady eyes go wide in understanding.  "And our homes are next on their list," he finished. 

The words sent a chill down the woman's and everyone else's spine who heard it.  Both men were now purposely loud enough that the entire bridge crew could hear.  The full extent of the mission hadn't been told to the crew, but now, he wanted them to know exactly what the stakes were.

"This entire galaxy is about to erupt," Apollo continued.  

And that brought up another point he and Starbuck had against Federation policies. Yes, the Federation was a godsend, a safe haven that his people were blessed to find.  However their policies, while honorable, had some major faults in light of the universe around them, the Borg and Cylons being cases in point.  Despite repeated warnings, the Federation chose to try to negotiate with them.  That itself wasn't a problem, in fact it was laudable.  

The problem was the way the Federation approached conflict.  They played a defensive game that lost them time, material and resources.  Recent history with the Dominion wars proved this.  They almost lost the war, playing defense.  With the Cylons, there was another attempt at negotiation and the Cylons played them as much as was possible, building a fortress and a power base strong enough to stand as giants in the Alpha quadrant.  The military had to constantly fight with the politicians who insisted that there was too much research and development in offensive weaponry and not enough in pure peaceful exploration.  Those same politicians didn't want the Federation to appear to openly aggressive, oblivious to the fact that the Romulans, Tholians, Klingons, the Dominion, the Cylons, and a host of others were just waiting around the corner to destroy everything the Federation represented.  

There was more evil in the universe than good and what was good had to be strong to defend against those evils.  Because of their experiences, that was a truth that all Colonials understood.  Some sentients in of the Federation hadn't learned that yet, although the Colonials did have hopes for the Starfleet Command.    

The Cylons were openly attacking and there were still those in the Federation who seemed to have its collective head in the clouds, hoping that the whole thing could be resolved peacefully.  It wasn't actually an accurate assessment, but he _felt_ that it was.  What was more very likely was that some of the members had been seduced into believing that they weren't really the main focus of the war.  

Sire Forsen, the newly elected President Forsen of the Republic, now that Adama had officially retired, had made that same observation public.  The resultant furor from a number of Federation ambassadors seemed to confirm that they may have been considering that very issue-that this was a human war which had relatively little to do with them.  After all, the Klingon conflicts, the Romulan wars, the start of the Dominion war, the Cardassian conflicts, the Cylon thousand Yahren war and a host of other smaller conflicts, including the lesser known Xindi war, had one thing in common.  Humanity, in all its flower, was at the center of most of the conflicts.

It also brought home how much the members of the Federation were united together and how much more they all had to mature.  There were several human-like species that probably would have remained more neutral because the bottom line was that most of them were tired of the wars for the last fifteen years or so.  However, the Colonials gave them credit as to how quickly those representatives changed their attitudes when the fact was brought out that just about all of them shared a distant common ancestor-one of the reasons why they essentially shared so many phenotypic and genotypic similarities.  The Cylons knew this and since they wanted to stamp out the life form known as man completely, getting rid of the various incarnations would also be on the list of things to exterminate.

The issue of the new weaponry from the future was another, very controversial and very hot issue. Transphasic torpedoes and ablative armor and a few other innovations like the Doctor's holographic device, made the Temporal Prime Directive Division twitch in ways that reminded some of a new kind of dance craze. The new technologies came from the future, a future timeline everyone understood no longer existed.  Needless to say, the arguments were hot and fierce; and everyone had their own opinion.  

Those technologies were from the future, several Starfleet officers had stated.  And this was a good thing.  They wanted to make sure that they would have those resources to deal with the Borg when-if, wasn't an issue- they came.  However some of the Admirals such as Thomas Winston violently disagreed.  

"We are polluting time," he said in a speech aimed towards the President of the Federation.  "It goes against the very principles that we have fought and died for.  We all understand the dangers of time travel and the possible effects it can have on us.  Rarely has it been for our benefit.  The Xindii example is a perfect case in point of the dangers of time travel.  As advanced as we are, we are not matured enough to handle that kind of power.  Take a small step in that direction and, we will find ourselves trapped in temporal paradoxes that could tear this galaxy apart."

"Those technologies should be destroyed, following the zero tolerance restrictions that we ourselves imposed on and was approved by the Federation.  We should allow for the natural progression of the development of such technologies in their natural course of time.  Pandora's box has been peaked at and we need to slam the lid down before we are irreparably damaged.  We also have to consider how our neighbors would respond to such innovations acquire from the future…"

Although some of his points were valid, clearly his opinion was only shared by the minority.  He was considered by many to be an armchair Admiral who had little clue-and the Colonials were of one accord with this sentiment- as to the danger out here.  Starfleet needed these gifts and had no intentions of destroying this technology in light of the threats that appeared to pop up more and more each and every day.  Adama and the rest understood the dangers of time displacement as well as anyone else, but the future tech was now present reality, just like the holographic Doctor's device from the twenty-seventh century on _Voyager_.

This was another reason why the Colonials felt an affinity to the Klingons.  In fact, there was a Klingon contingent on the _Galactica_.  They and the Borellian Nomen hit it off quite well-after a few knock down, drag out fights and one blood feud which ended in a stalemate, since both the Klingon and Noman killed one another before they could be stopped.   But that was months ago while the Colonials and Klingons were establishing their unique relationship.  

The Klingons understood the concept of a thousand years of war against an enemy who would do anything to utterly destroy them.  They were realist and if those futuristic technologies had fallen into their hands, they would have wiped out the Cylons and trusted themselves enough to recognize the dangers those weapons represented and the Colonials agreed.  The newly outfitted _Galactica_ was a classic example of this kind of reasoning.

It was an amalgamation of Klingon, Federation and Colonial inspiration controlled by the Colonials.  The massive battleship was armed with Federation phasers, but it also sported anti-capital Klingon disruptors and Klingon style quantum devastator class torpedoes.  And their scientists onboard were now working with Aeriana to generate an increase of energy release equal to an explosion of a high-yield transphasic detonation.  Multiphasic shields and protection provided by a thin coat of tritanium ablative armor, covering the two feet of reinforced armor underneath made the Battlestar a truly formidable weapon.  

Both men shared another look, each silently hoping that the armaments would be enough to keep their charges safe.  It was time to proceed with the mission.  The three would separate, recon the area, and then come together to continue the journey.

***

In the main dining area, Athena stole another look at the man Thomas William Riker, who in her opinion had beefed up nicely.  Her attraction to him was more than just physical but it did help that he filled out his uniform so nicely.  Unlike his opposite William, a man she considered just a bit plump, Thomas was lean, muscular and slightly dangerous.  She rolled her eyes.  Earthlings were so exotic! 

"You're doing it again."

"I'm enjoying the view," she responded.  "So let me enjoy it."

"Well," he started with absolute conviction.  "As a representative of Earth, I am happy to accede to your wishes."

Now it was her turn to smirk.  "Are you comfortable enough among us poor less-enlightened Colonials?"

She meant it to be humorous but Riker took it seriously.  "It's like paradise.  I rotted in a Cardie prison for years.  Anything else has to be heaven."

"I didn't mean…"

"I know," he interrupted.  "Admiral Janeway and your father gave me a second chance and I don't want to fail you."  

"I understand that and none of us expect anything less than your absolute best.  But I was talking about me," she said softly.  She brushed her graying brunette hair away from her eyes, then began laughing softly.  "Why is it that we, humans I mean, take so long to express how we feel?"

He thought about that and fact, had done so for years.  "I guess," he said, "it's because we hold on to the past too much.  "For example, your feelings for Starbuck."

She stiffened.  "And yours for Deanna. Point conceded.  Cassie won, if you can call that winning.  Do you know how much that hurt?"

"But do you understand why it hurts?"

"Yes," she answered.  "For the same reason why you still love Deanna after all these years.  She married your copy."

"Yes," he murmured. He never even had a chance to fight for her.  "And I'm still holding on to the past."  

"This makes Cassie the smartest of us all.  She dropped that daggit."

Riker didn't let it show on his face but he didn't agree at all with her comment against Starbuck.  The man made a choice and it wasn't her or Cassie.  He did what he thought best.  

"Yes," he finally said redirecting his answer.  "Just let all of that hostility out.  But consider this, no matter how she felt…"

"Who felt?"

"Cassiopeia," he clarified. "She knew, as did Starbuck that it wasn't going to work out.  She left him and he found someone who has made him happy.  They've moved on, and here we are discussing them. And we are talking decades-yahrens times ten."

Quietly: "Were going to remain prisoners of our own feelings, aren't we?"

"No," he said grabbing her hand with a gentleness that surprised her.  "Because you and I, we intend to live forever.  I've had enough of prisons.  It's time to start looking forward.  Come with me."

"Where?" she asked suspiciously.

"Wherever the stars take us," he answered without a moment's hesitation.  "It may not work between us," Riker stated.  But it won't be because we didn't try."

Looking at him: "you're not stable are you?"

Laughing:  No, but I am sincere."  Then both of them were laughing at that sarcastic comment.  "I am not going to replace Deanna in my life with you.  But, I see something in you that's worthy of my time, effort and respect.  I want to get to know you."

Stunned, Athena was actually considering the proposal.  "How do you define this 'getting to know you' idea you have?"

"Well-"  

He leaned over and kissed her hand.

"It's an Earth thing," he whispered.

***


	10. The Butterly Effect

**Chapter 10**

**"The Butterfly Effect"**

A taskforce of four Cylon advanced _Extremes_ exited slipstream space nearly ten light-years distant from their adversaries with the _Turrent_, flagship of the Cylon Empire lead the way.  Like its adversaries, these huge battleships had upgraded shields and weaponry.  Several of the new weapons designs had been stripped and modified from the wrecked remains of Klingon, Federation, and Romulan warships. The Cylons newest weapon had finally been completed and implemented.  It was designated a neutron shredder, a combination neutron based disintegrator and gravimetric shredder designed to disrupt gravity based shield and rip apart nuclear bonds keeping neutron particles together 

The Cylons exactly knew where they were heading and the dangers getting to their target, therefore the area itself had to be traversed carefully.  The Supreme Lord and Master Count Iblis had given them the information, coordinates confirmed by the Borg Collective, of the general direction of where to find the children. This area was filled with subspace anomalies and distortions, collapsed stars and supremely hostile natives.  The quantum slipstream could be used only so much in this region for reasons not fully known and the closer they got to the children, the more impossible any form of high-level, faster-than-light travel would become.  That area of space could not be traversed either by high warp, transwarp, or slipstream avenues.  

In fact, the children had picked that area specifically for its general isolation and vociferous natives.  It was suspected that the children had something to do with the unstable nature of this region of space.  And finally there was a barrier that surrounded the target system where the children had chosen to live in.  The Borg had attempted to acquire the children countless times, but had been rebuffed, either by the Imperixe, the Yonji or the children themselves.  Nevertheless, they would never give up. And this was the leverage that the Cylons had over the Borg.  Cylons were self-aware machines not unlike the children.  

They were kindred spirits.

***

Lucifer's cool electronic gaze took in the surrounding stars and nebulae with machine-like indifference.  Apart from their physical characteristic, all stars look alike.  They were born, they lived and they died much like organics.  They existed in different temperatures, producing and absorbing light, produced radiation.  In other words stars valuable materials and in the process, helped to create and sustain life.

That stars continued to support life was inconvenient according to the logic circuits in Lucifer and every other Cylon in existence.  How such complexity could help create organic life was a puzzle.  It understood the process but it didn't understand the underlying logic of it all.  It was alien, so non-Cylon.

Lucifer surrounded itself with its personal guards, three of the Gold elites, not that it needed them on this ship.  It was a personal vanity; something it learned from Baltar's excesses and the Imperious Leader found that it did give him a measure of cold machine comfort.

Standing next to it was Gold leader Yuall, looking as imposing as the elites next to it.  

"We have entered Imperixe space," the Cylon intoned.  "We have not yet been detected."

"Understood.  Begin the operation."

To Imperious Leader's understanding, the Imperixe were as bad as the Borg.  In analyzing the tactical situation the data suggested that the aborted war between the Federation and the Imperixe would have been detrimental to all participants involved and the Cylons would then have been able to exterminate the surviving life forms with a minimum of effort.  But it would not have been as satisfying as personally killing each and every Human up close and personally thereby fulfilling the ruination protocols programmed into every Cylon in existence.

Now they were in a race against an enemy that had proven to be a formidable foe their ancient enemies were not far behind and logic dictated that they needed to be slowed down.

"Continue speed at the factor of warp six," Lucifer ordered.  In the confines of the bridge, it used its voice instead of the subspace transceiver.  

"By the command."   

Within three hours, the fleet reached the edge of star system JP-763.  Sensors revealed two of the thirteen planets inhabited by sentients.  The planets themselves were little more than giant industrial complexes. 

"We are being hailed."

"Ignore," Yuall ordered.  "Release the squadrons.  Destroy all resistance.  Exterminate the populations, but allow enough time for them to transmit distress calls."  

Three hundred Raiders and over two hundred HK's launched from multiple bays and flooded into the star system.  They were supported by fifteen Destroyers, which in turn were backed up by the Basestars.  

The Imperixe had been caught unawares, believing that their industrial bases were secure being located on the opposite side of their ongoing war.   Automated system defenses sprang to life and were promptly turned into scrap-metal.  Bulbous defense vessels rose from planetary surfaces and engaged the Cylon forces.  Although powerful, they were overran and destroyed with the casual indifference.  Raiders hit the meager outer defenses, obliterating the opposition.  Targeting the cities, the Cylon war machine systemically destroyed all of them from high orbit.

The task finished, the Cylons continued on their journey, leaving the Alliance travelers to deal with an enraged parasitic empire.

***

The _Azetbur:_

The Klingon battleship _Azetbur _de-cloaked some twelve light-years distant near an M-class planet.  Although a new design, the _Azetbur _had been years in the making.  It was a multi-role vessel designed with comfort, flexibility and exploration in mind-similar to the Federation's _Galaxy_ class.  Most Klingon ships were patterned after the old tried and true methods that hadn't varied extensively for the last hundred years.  The Federation had come out with nearly a dozen new models for multipurpose roles in the last ten years while the Klingons merely worked on small upgrades, usually sporting more brute power and larger guns.  Innovations seemed to have abandoned the Klingon people and Kahless and Martok recognized this disturbing trend.  The truth was that the Klingon Empire, racked by internal fighting, mounting hostiles demonstrated by its subjects both Klingon and alien, the explosive loss of the Praxis moon, and general mistrust of anything not Klingon was slowly eroding the government, the people, their resources, and their influence in the Alpha quadrant.  They were not by any means weak, but there were changes in the air.  There was serious talk among the counsel members and the great houses of establishing much closer ties to the Federation.  And the newest ship was perfect example as to why.  Although a somewhat radical change from the standard Klingon warship, the slipstream drive was derived from earlier design data given to them by the Federation.   That alone slapped the Empire in its collective face.  They were falling behind the Federation and even the Romulans in several technological and political areas.  That was completely unacceptable.  

Families were not allowed onboard.  Non-Klingons-aliens-were.

***

According to short-range scans, the planet was inhabited by several million humanoids.  Captain Kagth waited patiently for his young scanner's officer to complete her report.

"The dominant species on the planet have a technological rating of level four," Yannsi said.  "There are signs of nuclear power generation sufficient to power the entire planet."  She frowned.  "But something is wrong."

"What is wrong?" Kagth snarled in a manner that he hoped would intimidate her but not too much.  

"There is decay in many of the larger structures.  They have not maintained their habitations.  Isotope decay in the atmosphere is consistent with multiple nuclear detonations with the last twenty years."

"Weapon's capability?"

"Nothing that can harm us," the weapon's officer responded.  "They are not a threat.  We have not been detected and can destroy them easily."

Kagth nearly sighed.  "We are not here to conquer, merely to observe," he snapped.   

"The enemies of our people are here.  They are a threat to our way of life.  We are here to find the heart of the enemy, not to make war on their victims.  Are there any enemy ships in the area?"

"No, Captain."

"We beam to the surface."  He pointed at the young officer.  "Yannsi, come," he ordered and moved towards the transporter room without a backwards glance.  "If there is any change, contact me."

"Yes, Captain."

***

Ten Klingons in full battle-gear beamed down into the heart of a desolated city, ready for anything but what they found.  

Surprisingly, the people who saw the wild-haired aliens suddenly standing in the middle of the street in battle formation, barely acknowledged them.  One of the larger Klingon guards called Klyn'g, grunted in disgust and pushed the natives out of his way.  The creatures offered no resistance, merely scampered away as fast as they could.  

In typical Klingon fashion, they slowly spread out.  Several of the warrior spat on the ground, disgusted by the stench of decay pervasive in air.  "They are weak, unworthy," the guard sneered.  "This is the enemy the council feared?"

"No," his Captain answered.  "This is the result of the actions of the enemy."

There were thousands of the aliens milling about, male, female and the young as well.  Many were diseased ridden and starving; most of them weaken, even dying on the streets.  Few people even attempted to help those who were unconscious and laying in the walkways.  There was no life, almost no purpose to their movements at all.  Their blood was thin.  

Next to him, Yannsi pointed towards a female cautiously returning the glare she was giving her with one of her own. Quickly Klyn'g walked over and grabbed the woman by the shoulders and nearly threw her at Yannsi's feet.  Viciously, Yannsi cursed him.

"What is wrong?" he asked, perplexed by her attitude.

"We are on a peace mission, P'thach!  You do not treat the inhabitants as if they are nothing!"

He still hadn't understood what she meant even when his Captain's fist connected with his jaw.

"We are here for the glory of the Empire, not for you to make more enemies!" 

His Captain was angry at him and for the life of him, he didn't understand why, not fully.  But wisely, he said nothing and simply submitted to the will of his Captain, which was his duty anyway.

The Captain gave his okay and Yannsi briskly pulled the young woman to her feet.  

"What is your name?" she half-demanded and half-requested.  

Klyn'g couldn't have been more surprised at the gentleness shown by the Klingon woman.  It was quite uncharacteristic especially coming from her.  There was something, some information that he wasn't privy to and he intended to find out what it was for this warrior to act like this towards a non-Klingon.   The Captain and certain of the crew were too gentle, too caring of an inferior, weak species and there had to be a reason why.     

"Yaquella," the female murmured, "of the Tricie family.  What are you?"

"We are Klingon," Captain Kagth answered proudly, although the name meant nothing to Yaquella.  

"What happened here?" Yannsi was asking and for the first time, Klyn'g took serious note of the city around him.  It wasn't right.  Like the people, most of the buildings had not been kept up and all were in various stages of decay.  The people looked tired and lethargic.  There were few aircraft machines flying.  Certainly, they had technology enough to make it to their local planets, but they seemed to have lost their motivation.  Silently he decided to listen carefully to what the female would tell them.

"They came and destroyed our world."  She went silent as though there was nothing else to say.

"Who came?" the captain growled.  People never completed their explanations these days.

"You are not of their dominion," the woman whispered in awe as though she finally understood what she was seeing for the first time.  "There is natural fire in your eyes.  You are free of them.  You are strong."

The Captain spoke quietly.  "Who is this enemy you speak of?"

"The ones called the Ciona Imperixe," she answered immediately.  Information was power and she had decided to tell as much as she knew.  This made the Captain grimace in pleasure.  The female was going to say something useful without too much urging. 

"We did not know that they had been here, on our world for many cycles.  They slowly joined with our leaders and took them over.  Then the wars began for no apparent reason," she explained.  "Many of our military complexes were destroyed, our soldiers killed.  Several of our cities were completely obliterated with nuclear weapons.  The economy was destroyed and soon most of the world was in chaos.  That was nearly eighty-five cycles ago."

Klyn'g and the others understood what happened next.  And in light of this new information, the security guard glimpsed the true scope of their mission.  The enemy were infiltrators.  The battle would be fought from without with glorious and honorable weapons, but from within.

"We looked to the stars to find out if we were not alone, and the stars answered us," Yaquella mummured softly.  "When they revealed themselves, we were terrified.  We fought back but our armies were all but gone and they had weapons we could only dream of.  They came in starships, and they began to take over."  It seemed as though for a moment she wanted to break down and cry, however, her eyes blazed with defiance.  "Soon the strongest of my people became infected.  The alien creatures bored into our brains and amused themselves with our bodies as though we were nothing but playthings.  The infected ones were stronger than we, but they could be fooled and even they could not easily tell who was affected and who was not.  But they did not fear death.  The ultimate darkness meant nothing to them and my people became slaves, playthings for our masters."  

Klyn'g noticed the fear in the female's voice.  It had taken strength for her to even say the name of the enemy.     

"There are several types of these creatures.  Some are small and remain so.  They are the soldiers, the fearless ones.  There are others also who at first look like the soldiers, but they grow inside the body and soon there is nothing left but a shell.  At first, our scientists thought that they were the mother creatures, but we were wrong.  Yes some of them were mothers and leaders but most of them simply grew inside the bodies of my people, removing the organs and replacing the brains with their own neural clusters.  Their control is so complete that a fully-grown Imperixe could not easily be identified from the non-infected.  We succumbed by the millions.  To them our existence it was simply a convenience, something to amuse themselves with."

"How many of these parasites are in the city?"  Cautiously the security guard began a detailed scanning of every non-Klingon in the area.  So far everyone was clean of infection.  He was very wary now and had no intentions of ending up as some parasite's plaything.

"They have all left," she said.  "The best and strongest of my people have been used up and there is nothing of interest for them.  They do not know how to stop themselves and they do not care if we knew of their plans to conquer other worlds, because we could never stop them.  Being true gluttons, our resources have been stripped by them, our lands poisoned with pollution and waste.  Our sciences are lost to us.  We can no longer have healthy children."  The woman's voice even through the translator revealed so much bitterness even several of the Klingons were moved.  "Plants barely grow now and there are few animals still living. The Imperixe take what they will and leave little.  They took the best of us as host, to be soldiers in a war against another brutal enemy."

"What enemy is this you speak of?" Yannsi asked.  "Are they Cylon?"

"Who they are, I do not know," she answered.  "The Ciona infestants planned carefully against something called the Alpha Federation.  I believe that they feared that world or worlds and would have stayed away but, the temptation was too great, and their urges to strong.  It is my belief that somewhere, on distant worlds, others are suffering the same fate as we have for many cycles.   I know that the Ciona wave has turned its attention and plans away from the Alpha Federation so that they could meet this new threat.  They have been fighting them for a long time, but recently the conflict has escalated into a war that they are losing.  We were forced to build ships capable of traversing deep space and when our world was exhausted, the abandoned us."

"But something has stopped them from invading," Yannsi finished, angered by this entire situation.  A quick scan of the alien woman revealed that she had a malignancy that, if left untreated, would kill her in a few months,.  It was very easy to cure even by the medical procedures these people should have had.  But that learning had been lost now.  And the Klingons didn't have time to do anything about it. 

Klyn'g understood the rage radiating from her because he felt the same way.  However, he was angry for a different reason.  The enemy considered the Federation a bigger threat than the Klingon Empire.  It was a horrendous insult and it said volumes about the state of Klingon honor and their relative position in the universe.

Nearly a century earlier, Klingons annexed many worlds and foolishly, they didn't honor their subjects, causing many who would have been loyal to the Empire to rebel and turn to the Federation or other powers.  Now, the Klingon Empire was different and many of the subject worlds were being taken care of properly, partly because of pressure from the Federation and internal humiliation.   Soon, the Council discovered that concern for their subjects did wonders for their overall support.   And here, he could not understand how an Empire could simply use up and throw away worlds like he would throw away excess food.   That action held no honor for the Klingon people in this new generation.  

"Will you help us?" the female asked.

Klyn'g saw the captain rise up, then slowly sigh.  "No," he answered.  "We are here to observe the actions of a new enemy while we fight to contain an old one.   When we conquer our enemies, then we will turn our eyes upon yours."  

Never had he seen his Captain in such a disposition.  He had no reference to describe what he was seeing- or what he himself felt.   

"Survive, if you can and we will come.  The might of the Empire will not allow this," he continued waving his hand dramatically, "to continue."

"We are weak," she whispered loud enough for everyone to here.  "We will die."

"Then, you will die," he said.  "Or you will fight to live-if you are worthy."  

The Captain turned and spoke briskly into his comm badge.  A few moments later two doctors, one Klingon and one Colonial Human and their support personnel materialized next to him.  

"Treat these people," he ordered.  "You have three hours." 

Klyn'g stood there, still stunned by the actions of his Captain.  And he was even more shocked when he found himself in complete agreement with the actions taken.  What would his grandfather had to say about these actions he wondered.

The survey team moved off, collecting as much information as they had time for.

Four hours later, the Klingon ship  broke orbit as enemy ships moved into the sector.

***

Next: 

**Galactica: First Contact******


	11. Galactica:First Contact Part I

**Chapter 11**

**"Galactica: First Contact"**

**The _Galactica:_**

The Battlestar _Galactica_ picked up the multiple warp signatures nearly an hour before there was visual confirmation.  There were an even dozen of them, all warships by their configuration, bearing down on the Battlestar's position.  Not wishing a conflict, the _Galactica_ went evasive and to their dismay, the warships pursued them.  That was three days ago.  

Communications with the _Azetbur_ revealed that they were also be chased by a vessels of similar configuration.  Single-minded in their pursuit, the bulbous ships got close enough to fire potshots at the Colonial vessel.  The weapons the Imperixe used were disruptor-based, ineffectual from the distance fired, but it was apparent from the hits that their targeting systems were supremely accurate.

Commander Apollo, along with Starbuck and President Adama, stared at the tactical representations of the warships on the screen.  The original twelve ships were joined by another four combat vessels, which were attempting to flank them.

"It's a trap," Starbuck said flatly.  

"Agreed," Apollo said as he pointed to the area devoid of anything of empty space.  "We're being herded into this sector.  "But there's nothing there."

"Have we done a detailed scan of the area?"

Oshella, listening in on the conversation now spoke up  "We've done a detained scan of the area twice, Sir.  There are no ships in front of us for at least a light-year.  There are a few sub-spatial disharmonies in that region."

The President shook his head, a sign that he was troubled by the current events.  "We are missing something.  The Cylons did this to us before.  You remember the planet Arcta."

Starbuck shivered at the memory.  "The ice planet," he said.  "All those clones and that giant cannon."

"Yes.  The Ravashol pulsar laser-cannon; in the old days, strong enough to blow us apart in one shot.  You understood it to be a trap then."

"And I feel the same way now," Adama confirmed.     

"How long before we enter the sector?"

"Fifteen minutes at warp factor eight."

"Scan the area again," Apollo said.  "I want to know everything about that particular sector.  And I want to know specifically what kind of disharmonies are we talking about."  

Oshella understood it be as soon as possible.  "Yes Sir, Captain."

"Helm increase to warp factor nine.  We may be able to use these anomalies to our advantage. "

***

The _Galactica_ surged forward and its pursuers matched speed.  The Battlestar's dual sensor array glowed a bright green as it quickly analyzed space around them.  

Oshella and her two subordinates studied the data intently.   They were two minutes away from the edge of the anomaly and there was absolutely nothing there that they could detect other than a rapid increase of tetryon particles which was characteristic of...

"Commander!" the sensor's officer screamed.  "It's a tetryon field!"

"Tetryon?"  

Apollo didn't understand.  However, Starbuck did.  "Frack!  We can't go into that field.  The warp bubble-"

"-Will collapse," Apollo finished.  

He remembered now.  Intense, naturally occurring tetryon fields at the concentration they were detecting caused subspace rifts when the particle decayed.  That decay produced radiation, which was indicative of subspace intruding into normal space.  Certain sections of Federation space had been damaged by high warp travel using the older, less environmentally safe warp drives.  Warp was still new to the Colonials and he cursed his response time.  He should have remembered so obvious a point. 

The _Galactica's_ warp drives were the upgrades, however this region was already so damaged that the warpfield could cause a small rupture in subspace.  

No more warp drive for a while.

The ship shuttered and the warpfield collapsed and the mighty ship began to decelerate.

"…Warp six. Warp four…warp one point seven.  We're in normal space."

"Battle stations!" Starbuck ordered.  "Shields to full."

Space around them took on strange wondrous colors.  Energy swirls surrounded the ship and subspace eddies slammed the ship.

"Now bad?" Oshella heard Adama ask.  

"Subspace is torn around us," she responded quickly.  "It's not as bad as it could be but it will be a while before can get out using our solium drives at near lightspeed.  The shortest route will take us twelve days before we reach the edge of the field and can use FTL again," she added before anyone could ask."

There was a hushed silence through out the bridge.

"We can outrun them, but they're going to catch us on the opposite side of the rift."

"They're going to try," Starbuck answered defiantly.  "But it's thirty light-years for them to go around it to catch us as we come out on the other side, so it'll be a race.   Contact _Azetbur_ and _Voyager _and let them know of our situation.  We will meet them at the prescribed coordinates in twelve days.  Helm, best speed to the edge of the rift."

"Yes, Sir."

The powerful sub-light engines revved up and massive Colonial Battlestar began to accelerate quickly, moving away from the pursuing ships.

Commander Apollo paced back and forth slowly.  "What are the enemy vessels doing?"

"I don't believe it.  They're starting to follow us," she said.  "They're at STL but keeping pace with us.  Well," she corrected, "just barely keeping pace.  "The second group has entered the rift and will intercept us in six hours, the first group, two hours later.  Long-range sensors are tracking a third group that will enter the rift in seven hours and will intercept us shortly thereafter.  They're going to try to slow us down."

"Obviously, they want us really badly," the President said.  "Son, open a hailing frequency and let's find out what they want."  

Apollo nodded in agreement.  

"We know what they want," Starbuck insisted.

"Let's hear it anyway; the more time we can make for ourselves, the better."

 They didn't know what to expect, but the view of the enemy bridge caused a collective gasp to echo the _Galactica's_ crewmembers. It was an immaculate, very square-like configuration with a mixed crew that nearly defied description.  Humanoids, insectons, and other completely alien lifeforms never imagined by the crew of the _Galactica_ greeted their stares with dark, lustful amusement.

"We are so glad that you have finally decided to grace our territory," the Humanoid Captain said.  "We visited you and we fully expected you to reciprocate but even we were surprised by how long it took.   We were beginning to think that the Federation would never come."

"I am Commander Apollo of the Colonial Battlestar _Galactica_.  Why have you been harassing us?" he demanded.

"Harassing," the Captain repeated.  "Such an amusing turn of phrase.  I'm afraid the Cylon Empire's attack in our territory was a signal to us that your little war has spread to our territories and we really don't appreciate that," it answered slowly.  "We are a race that desires peaceful co-existence," it hissed through sharpened-greenish teeth. The Captain's eyes were as green as its teeth, nearly glowing with undisguised contempt. 

Apollo and the others with him were unaware that there had been an attack in Imperixe territory.  "The Cylons are the enemies of both our races.  The threat that they represent cannot be understated.  They have…"

He was cut off by a weary shake of the creature's hand.  "Save your speeches Commander.  We know of your battles with the machines and we know why you are here.  But your assumptions are incorrect.  You think of us as your enemies.  We are not.  We only wish to establish meaningful associations with you, to eventually join with your Federation."  The alien's grim smile had nothing to do with joy.  "You think of us as usurpers but that could not be further from the truth.  We give advantages to all those that we have contact with.  Think about it, Federites.  We are unity; together we would bring an end to the petty conflicts racking your precious section of the universe every few years.  If we were there, the Borg would not come.  We are the antithesis of the machine race.  We are a superior form of life and you would be enriched with our presence." 

While Starbuck simply glared at the alien Captain, Apollo simply growled.  "The Earthers have a word for what you've just said," Apollo stated politely.  "And so do we."

***

President Adama couldn't help expressing his disgust.  From the detailed reports made available to him by Janeway from Q, he understood these aliens for what they were.  The Ciona Imperixe had made their presence known yahrens earlier within the Federation when they attempted to mount a full-scale invasion.  He exhaustedly studied Picard's reports of their first encounter with the parasites that almost took control of Starfleet.  An obviously patient species they quietly, over a period of months, maybe even years, took over key personnel, moved strategic starships away from the targeted assault area with illogical orders, and quietly removed command staff for no apparent reasons, all to open a corridor for an invasion that was thwarted by Captain Picard and the _Enterprise_. 

As for Picard, he had been warned by Captain Walker Keel of the _Horatio_, along with a small group of other Captains, that something was wrong within the upper ranks of Starfleet command.  They grilled him with questions because they believed that a weakness of whatever was wrong with those affected appeared to reside with the long-term memory.  The evidence and information the Captains presented him was too vague; unusual orders and lack of long-term memory was not a conspiracy made.  He didn't completely believe them, of course. Later, he would.  The actions by Picard and the _Enterprise_ had prevented the same sort of decimation that happened to the Twelve Colonies.  

But from Adama's point of view, the Federation suffered from a form of complacency.  Unlike his people who were tired of the Cylon wars after a thousand yahrens, the Federation had no real concept of long- term, life-threatening conflicts. There had been no major outbreaks of war in nearly a hundred years.  Hunger was non-existent, crime essentially abolished. They were at peace with their neighbors.  The Klingons were relatively calm, the Romulans hadn't been heard from in almost eighty years.  The thirteenth colony-and he wasn't sure if they were or not-situated in the quadrant, along with their neighbors chose to improve themselves.  They were looking forward to relieving themselves of the inherent vulgarities of their species.  Exploration beckoned and they took to the call.  They were ready to encounter whatever was out here.

In other words, the Federation was in a perfect position to be invaded.  

The Imperixe had planned their actions carefully, watching the Federation for decades before they made their move.  When the time was ripe, the infiltrated humanity and their associates would have completely taken over, effectively controlling the head of the Federation.  Starfleet wasn't nearly as large as it was now, with one or two starships patrolling an entire sector hundreds of light-yahrens wide.  When the plans had been actualized, there was a wide opened corridor pointed straight at Earth created by the compromised Starfleet command. The invasion would have been swift and decisive, with little or no resistance offered by starships or star bases anywhere near the vicinity.  With dozens of Federation worlds infected by billions of Ciona, the Federation would have had to sterilize those worlds in order to keep them from spreading outward.  That was something that they could have never done.  

The Imperixe had been so close.  But at the final moment, a critical mistake had been made.  The Imperixe that had taken over Admiral Quinn had been too arrogant, to over-confidant, revealing its true nature within Quinn to Doctor Crusher.  The crew of the _Enterprise_ was able to capture him and by that action doomed their enemy's carefully laid plans for domination.  However, several of Starfleet's finest command staff were sacrificed in the process.  Commander Remik was dead, his carcass being expertly controlled like a puppet by a parasite so large that it seemed impossible that it had inhabited the Commander's body.  

Most people assumed that the creature was the 'mother', the command and control creature from which the smaller six-legged aliens sprang.  But others were not so sure.  From the reports by Picard and Riker, the aliens that had abandoned the dead Starfleet officer's bodies scampered towards the Remik creature who promptly swallowed them whole.  The common belief was that they were seeking protection from Picard and Riker's phasers, but Doctor Crusher had another suggestion.  The creatures committed suicide by digestion, to remove all evidence of their existence.  And she also suspected that the smaller aliens, by their final acts somehow communicated all of their information to the queen-if that what it was.  That was also disturbing because it confirmed that these creatures had absolutely no fear of death.  Ultimately there was almost no tangible, concrete proof that the Imperixe ever existed other than Crusher's recordings, because no creature or complete remains were ever found.

Federation xeno-pathologists cursed Picard's heavy handedness.  There was nothing left of the alien, and very little of the Commander's body.  What remained of Commander Remik's head and spinal column however did give tantalizing clues of the DNA structure and organization, but even the genetic structures disintegrated within a matter of hours despite using every technique at their disposal to preserve the specimens.  It was discovered that the alien's neurons had completely invaded what little they found of Remik's brain.  There was little to no blood left in the body.  The organs were macerated and pushed aside to increase the living space for the Imperixe.  Billions of ganglions had infiltrated the entire corpse-a source for control by the alien.    

The Federation was in a fury but they had no idea where their attackers came from.  Starfleet Command was in shambles and still the Imperixe were waiting at the gates.  But something happened that ruined everyone's plans.

The Borg had been officially engaged by the Enterprise-D. the Flagship of the Federation barely survived that first encounter.  Starfleet command was appropriately terrified of the Borg's power and started preparations against an enemy they knew to be superior in every way to them.  Starfleet prepared for war and that buildup halted the Imperixe's plans.  They could have cared less about the Borg.  The cyborgs could not assimilate the Imperixe.  The creatures simply died if Borg nanites entered their systems.  However, the aliens could infiltrate Borg drones, take over and cause inconceivable havoc on cubes and other Borg complexes.  After tens of yahrens of conflict, there was an uneasy peace between the two powers.  What the Imperixe were enraged about was that the Borg had interfered with their expansionist plans for new territory and sustenance.  Not only did the Borg fail, but also caused the Federation to expand their fleets, dramatically improve their defenses and become far more diligent.  The Borg assimilated to improve their species with machinery, but the Imperixe biologically infested their prey for their own survival.  

Adama couldn't decide which was worse.

***

TBC   


	12. Galactica: First Contact Part II

Chapter 12 

**_Galactica_: First Contact- Part II**

With their recourses dwindling, the Imperixe were desperate and embroiled in the middle of a war with another super power more vicious and unrelenting that they. 

"…We are a superior form of life and you would be enriched with our presence." 

"Perhaps in time…" Commander Apollo said.

The Imperixe cut him off.  "Perhaps, now," it viciously responded.  "We want your ship and the technologies it possesses."  There was a hint of desperation in its voice. The Captain gasped as something occurred to it.  "We will let you go; provide you with safe transport to an area of your choosing."

"We cannot comply with that request," Apollo said.  "We are on a mission of mercy."

"Mercy?" it asked, seemingly perplexed by the very concept.  "What is a mission of mercy compared with your lives?"  In complete agreement the entire bridge crew of the alien ship grew tense and their Captain bolted from its chair.  "You don't understand.  We want your ship," he demanded.     "We need your ship.  We will take what we want over your dead, rotting husks."

"Close channel."  The Commander had had enough.  "Have Lieutenant Commander Riker come to the bridge and prepare for _Adder_ and _Saber_ launch.  Since we're in normal space, I want us at condition Cimtar.  Launch _Viper_, _Peregrine_ and _Cobra_ escorts.  We are as of now on warwatch."

Starbuck was already issuing orders.  

There was something ironic about the name Condition Cimtar.  That name was a backhanded way of honoring Zack, the first Colonial (and Apollo's young brother) to die in the sneak attack orchestrated by the Cylons that destroyed the twelve colonies and almost exterminated the entire human race.  Cimtar was an uninhabited moon from which the Cylons sprang their assault.  Now it was a military rally cry for all Colonials who remembered their fateful struggle to reach safety.  Never again would they be caught unawares.   

The former President of the Twelve Colonies reflected on the ease by which Apollo and Starbuck worked together as a unit.  Quickly he amended those thoughts to add Athena and Sheba and several others who had grown up together and had effectively become extensions of one another.  It reminded him of his relationship with Tigh; a valuable friend lost but according to Kathryn's sources, was safe and sound in the Delta quadrant.   

Already two _Adders_ and one of three _Sabers_, the _Rantoul__,_ were had detached from their moorings and were swiftly proceeding to take up their positions in front of the _Galactica_.  They still looked boxy and somewhat gangly compared to the rapturous Klingon and sleek Federation and Romulan designs, however that was unimportant for now.  The Colonial Republic would design later-if they had the time.   

"You could tell by their Captain's actions.  They're desperate.  They don't want to destroy us."

"They don't want to destroy this ship," Adama correct as previous conversations with Janeway, Picard and the others finally clicked in.  "They're losing the war against their adversaries," he concluded.  "Their technology is advanced as anything in the Alpha quadrant. But they've used up much of their resources in this area of space. That's one of the reasons why they wanted to clear a corridor into the heart of the Federation.  They placed all of their cubits on the fact that they could invade the Federation and Alpha quadrant in order to obtain all of the resources they would need but delayed their invasions because of the Borg, Dominion and finally the Cylon attacks.  But what they didn't consider was a war on another front.  The shifting of resources has left them weakened in these sectors." 

"The Imperixe do not invent their own technology as much as acquire it from their hosts.  They've stolen a lot of Federation mechanics before the war.  Now Starfleet weapons technology is carefully guarded and access has been limited.  Our Battlestar represents the state of the art, incorporating Federation, Klingon, and Colonial advances."

"In other words, they need this ship.  That's why they've been chasing us so hard.  We're not so much intruders as much as something they can use."  

"Yes," he agreed.  "And if they succeed then we will become prisoners in our own bodies until they consume our brains and live within what is left of us then discard the remains like empty shells."

 That was more information than Starbuck needed to know.  It reminded him too much of the insectons of Carillon who used his people-who were still alive by the way when the eggs were placed on top of their paralyzed bodies- to feed their young.  "They want us? Okay, let them come," he challenged.  "We live for subspace combat!" 

The Battlestar _Galactica_ and its escorts moved deeper into damaged space, passing the remnants of a long dead pulsar and entering the last pockets of helium rich gas with relatively high concentrations of magnesium and oxygen.  Sensors detected pockets of undamaged space in which FTL drives could be allowed a series of micro-jumps, but they would be of limited use.  At sublight speed, it would take three days to pass through the cloud but in that time they would gather as much scientific data as they could.  The Colonials were explorers as well and would snap up as much data as they could before they once again started fighting for their lives.

***

Thomas Riker felt very comfortable in the 'big' chair.  This was after all what he had trained for, to become a Captain in Starfleet; a dream cut short by fates indifference.  Instead of him becoming a command officer, an accidental mishap involving a transporter got him stranded alone on Nervela IV for eight long years.  It took some time, but he got over it.  Then he ended up in a Cardie prison camp for a few years longer and barely survived that adventure.  His father was stunned by his existence, but delighted that he now had another son to call his own.  William Thomas Riker and his identical copy Thomas William Riker, didn't get along as well as they should have partially because William didn't like the idea that he was no longer unique and Thomas felt that William had all the breaks.  William was married to Deanna now and what little hope Thomas had for his once great love vanished in a final flame of loss and despair.  Everything had been taken from him.  

It reminded him of the biblical character Job who lost everything, his family, his property, his health, and the love of his wife (who basically told him to give it up and drop dead).  That was bad enough but it seemed like each time Job prayed to God it just made matters worse. It got to the point that Job was even terrified to pray at all.

That was exactly how Thomas had felt before Admiral Janeway came to his rescue.  She pulled him up when he needed it the most and Adama had taken to him as well.  They may have helped him out of pity, but he didn't care.  He was with the Colonials now and then there was Athena.  She was a little strange, but these days, who wasn't?   Besides, she was honest and took him for what he was and that's all he really asked for.  He was actually happy now; something that had eluded him for so, so long.  They had given him another chance and he wouldn't let them down by dwelling on the past.

"All lights show green, Sir." The helmsman in front of him said. "The _Rantoul_ is clear for navigation."

"Good," he simply responded.  

On the front screen, four _Peregrines_ and two _Vipers_ quickly accelerated, taking their place in front of the _Galactica_ as they prepared for an inevitable battle against the Imperixe.   The Colonial warp fighters were sleek versions of the older style _Vipers,_ with swept-forward wing like nacelles and sporting the latest weapons from the Klingons.  For protection they used Federation style regenerative shielding.  Several of the Colonial _viper III's_ had been outfitted with the new Colonial designed plasma canons now augmented with shaped crystals called Aeriana, the living crystal that would allow those energy weapons to fire hotter than anything the Alpha quadrant had ever produced.   So far the tests had been promising and the star stones chose not to overload the energy compensators with the incredible energies they commanded.  No one knew why this worked and the Aeriana wasn't talking after it told the scientists that they were in effect too young to understand the concepts involved.   For pure efficiency, the released energy even rivaled comparable Borg weapon's technology.  Scientist were still in the dark as to how it worked.  But it did work; they would figure out the 'how' later. 

The _Galactica_ was outfitted with those cannons as well.  Their first firing of the forward twin pulse cannons in anger was directed at an unshielded Cylon _Hellion_-class Basestar.  The twin beams sliced thru the entire ship, cutting through it like a knife through Piscon butter. Then the energon compensating system promptly blew up and completely wrecked the weapon's power plant.  The Aeriana was unmanageable, though its potential use was enormous.  Now that problem had been solved by a mutual accord rather than technological proficiency.

As he watched, both fighters disappeared from view.  They were designed primarily as Cylon killers and no one had any doubts about their ability to do so.  The _Viper_ _III's_ also had cloaking generators, effectively making them the hottest, most dangerous single manned fighter in the Alpha quadrant.

That ability to disappear was something that his ship and those Vipers had in common. 

"Engage the cloak," Riker said.

"Cloak engaged. Docking clamps released.  Mooring sequence completed."

Only one other Federation vessel, the _Defiant_, the ship he had once stolen or maybe barrowed was a better term, possessed a cloaking device.  It had been on loan and exempt from the Romulan-Federation treaty of Algeron, with restrictions.  Much of Starfleet detested this treaty as it gave a significant advantage to the Romulans and Klingons.  The Federation believed that their use of cloaked ships would hamper their moral imperatives of being a free and open society and vigorously resisted attempts by Starfleet to develop cloaking technology of their own.  Improvements for the detection of cloaked ships had been greatly improved by Starfleet tactical but still there were gaps that couldn't be ignored.  Nearly a hundred years earlier, the Klingons had developed a nearly perfect cloaking weapon that allowed the ship to fire while cloaked, nearly starting a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

Now, the Romulan Empire effectively didn't exist as the Cylons continued their relentless advances against it.  Praetor Tomalak the de-facto leader of the Empire didn't like the Federation in general and Humanity in particular, but with the loss of the twin worlds to the Cylons and the Borg, he had made some hard decisions.  Not only was the Empire's holdings threatened with extinction, but the Federation, the Klingons and anyone remotely humanoid as well.  And he understood that there was a common link between most of the humanoid races located in the Alpha quadrant and throughout much of the galaxy.  The Cylons knew this as well and they would eventually butcher everything in their paths in order to fulfill their murderous imperatives to exterminate the lifeform known as man including all of the variations they could find. There was too much at stake and to that extent, he and the surviving leadership gave permission to the Federation to temporarily nullify the treaty and use them as they saw fit.  Tomalak and his people understood that the Federation would once again honor the agreement after this conflict was resolved and they were counting on the Federation's since of honor to keep that agreement.  After all, the Federation was foolish in that respect and they were counting on that since of honor still being present when the Romulan Star Empire go back on its feet and conquered the galaxy.  But for now, they had to survive the next few months.

"Z plus twelve hundred meters."

"Acknowledged."

"Accelerate to full impulse.

"Accelerating to full impulse, aye, Sir."

Thomas nodded.  The five-mile long Battlestar streaked by and within a couple seconds it had became a small dot in the distance.  His ship slowly pulled away from the _Galactica_ and headed towards the edge of the rift.  His orders were to play advanced scout and to prepare the way when the _Galactica_ was ready to break the blockade that would be formed against them.  The USS_ Starling _would support the USS _Spartacus_, the Colonial _Adders_ _Madagon _and _Thula.  __Cobra_ squadron four which consisted of twenty of the heavily armed fighter-bombers preparing to intercept the second group of Imperixe warships vectoring towards them.  His ships were small in size, but they would come as a very nasty surprise when the enemy confronted them.  The _Cobras_ carried the Klingon devastator type-eight photon torpedoes and the new shield disrupting solonite missiles also outfitted with ten micrograms of Aeriana, producing an explosive yield of sixty-point- two isotons each. 

"Proceed with all speed to the coordinates set.  Let's see what they have waiting for us.

"Sir, Captain," Athena answered.   She allowed him to see her quick smile before turning back to her station.

_I love it when she says_ _that_ Riker thought. 

***      


	13. The Talk

_Chapter 13_

"**_The Talk"_**

**contributions By _Major Diarrhia_**

Captain Boxey never tired of watching ships of any kind simply disappear from his view. Cloaks fascinated him and whether it was the first time or the hundredth, it always excited him. Since he had arrived in the Alpha quadrant there had been one surprise after another. Even the rocks talked here! Of course, there had been more fighting as well but now he had purpose other than the simple survival of his people. He had met aliens, humans and humanoid beings of all type and the good thing was that most of them were friendly and united in an honorable, common goal. He couldn't ask for much more than that. 

"This is Leader _Cobra_ one, requesting final conformational status of Group Four." He listened quietly as all twenty of his ships responded in the affirmative.

The _Cobra_ launch procedures were different from that of the _Vipers_ who shot out of launch bays located on the sides of the Battlestar. The more massive combat ships exited by way of the front doors. Since fuel storage was no longer a problem for the massively large Colonial Battlestar, a lot more free space was now available. The once crowded in with the _Vipers_, shuttles and an occasional light, the _Cobras_ now had breathing room within the battleship. Her armaments were significantly increased along with extra labs and a lot more breathing room. 

"_Cobra_ one, you are cleared for launch," the _Galactica_ traffic control's officer transmitted. "C_obra_ one," the Captain heard. "Prepare to launce." Outside of his cockpit, his crews had performed their final checks and were now vacating the area. The chief gave him a quick salute and followed his men to safety.

"Launch."

The huge vessel, four times larger than a _Viper_, slid slowly out of Alpha bay and into open space behind the giant battleship, arching towards the _Adders _and the S_aber _waiting for them. Every eight seconds, another two additional _Cobras_ launched from the _Galactica_, to join up with them. To Boxey, his squadron looked like a string of pearls glistening in the sunlight. And it was his intention of having every one of his pearls return to the safety of the _Galactica_, the place he called home.

"Everyone, relax but stay alert," he ordered. "Convert to EMCOM two status, standard four by four, sweep loose. I want us going in with as low a profile as possible. Set scanners and sensors on passive mode only. Radio set to receive only. Cover your wingman. _Cobra's_ seven and sixteen, you're on watch."

He received a series of beeps indicating they had acknowledged his orders. 

"Cobra thirteen, you're with me." Joliet beeped her acknowledgement to _Cobra_ one. He set the controls on auto and waited for the inevitable. "Okay people," spoke the son of Apollo to his four-man crew. "Our job is to keep this other group off the _Galactica's_ back until she can deal with the warships behind her. So stay alert and remember we have some serious backup this time."

"Sir, I have a question," said Lieutenant Carson, a Federation crewmember on loan from Starfleet. "We're at the edge of enemy territory and we've been briefed that they are at war with another race. Exactly how large is their territory?"

"Good question," Boxey mused. "From the information told to us in the initial briefing, we estimate it to be about six thousand light yar-years across. But that varies from time to time. The Imperixe are more nomadic than anything else and from the information we've gathered, after they use up one area the move on to another." He checked the auto-nav progress and satisfied, he continued. "So the size and position of the territories isn't fixed like the Federation." 

"Makes sense. They're parasites. Even if they are intelligent, they are still true to their evolutionary nature. Even if they wanted to change, they may not be able to." 

The Captain shook his head in agreement. He hadn't thought of that before, but that statement contained the conviction of truth behind it. "They're worse than the Cylons."

"Sir, there are a lot of things worse than the Cylons. They just want to exterminate us."

Again he found himself agreeing. As they all had recently discovered, there were lots of things worse than death.

-Many, many things.

*** 

**USS Voyager:**

Sela, Adjutant of Praetor Tomalak, now de facto leader of the Romulan Empire, was not used to sulking in her room like some type of small-frightened creature hiding from something intent on eating her. But here she was stuck on a Federation Starship with people she couldn't stand and no place to go. Data, that arrogant android was on this ship. Worf, the Klingon who helped disrupt her plans for Klingon domination was also onboard. Just having those two near her was almost enough to drive her insane. 

Admiral Janeway was cordial, but understandably cautious about having a Romulan onboard--especially her. And well she should be. Sela was nothing to be trifled with and even if they were allies in a war against the Cylons, when it was over there would be scores to settle. 

Sela was convinced that human arrogance was behind the destruction visited upon the Romulan Empire and her home. Romulus was a barren wasteland now and the Borg, who were in league with the Cylons, had assimilated the Reman population. Now there was only the western portion of the Empire left and they were fighting for mere survival against the Cylon Imperium. Her planet and her people were devastated and here she was on the ship made by the very people who bore the ultimate responsibility for the destruction. If the Colonials hadn't traversed through Romulan space in their quest to get away from their enemies, this entire episode would not have taken place.

The last time she was on board a Federation vessel, she had confronted Picard; the man responsible for her mother being captured onboard an earlier time displaced E_nterprise-C_. By all rights, Tasha should have never been on that ship and Sela should have never been born. Now she, a hybrid mix of Human and Romulan ancestry found herself having to deal with that every day of her life. Her father loved her, and, to her chagrin, her mother probably did, too. The love for her father was absolute. And as for her mother Tasha-

-Her mother was insane. Why would that woman even think about making Sela leave her father? She loved her father and her mother made the mistake of making their daughter choose between them. For such an act of indiscretion, her father had Tasha executed. Too bad- 

Well… that really wasn't fair, she came to realize, as she had gotten older. It was a little extreme and Sela occasionally felt twinges of guilt about that. Her father may have reacted a little too harshly, but Tasha should have never acted like that. Tasha never understood how fully her daughter identified herself as Romulan. Her mother tried to instill some human values within her, but fortunately it didn't take. She was her father's child.

There was no comparison between her and the half-Vulcan Spock, who had somehow reconciled both halves of his heritage. Now that was bizarre even for a Vulcan! Vulcans were so entrenched in logic, she couldn't stand it. The more she thought about it the more she seemed convinced that there was little advantage to the reunification between their two cultures, even if they were related. They were too different and joining with them would cause more trouble than it was worth. As she thought about it, even the Romulans and Remans had difficulties interacting with one another. 

With this experience, she was getting firsthand experience with living and working with Humans and she discovered several things about them. First, they were emotional, unstable creatures that should have died out long before they had made it into space. They smelled too alien for her tastes. And the thing she hated most was their unpredictability. Some of them accepted her onboard and others didn't. That was to be expected but she could never tell which ones would tolerate her presence and which ones wanted to slit her throat. And the relaxed nature of the people on this ship should have lead to anarchy, yet it did not. Although full of soldiers, there was very little military discipline evident as related to her Romulan upbringing, much less than expected. The interactions and flirtations of the multiple aliens and Humans threatened to make her and her aides sick. 

And they talked too much. Even the Horta was infected with the need to communicate too much and too often. The term' speak when spoken to' held no meaning here on this ship. That meant the reports were true. Once more she re-discovered that reading reports and actually experiencing the truth behind them were two different things. 

During the journey, she had been on the bridge twice. Each time Worf was there at tactical and his incessant watching of her made her uncomfortable. Sometimes he glared at her in contempt and sometimes she noticed that there was something else behind the murderous Klingon eyes. She caught Data staring at her once or twice as well. Why they kept doing this, she couldn't quite understand and she didn't feel like asking, either. She did her best to ignore them, deciding that aloofness was better than talking. 

Her uncommunicative attitude continued until the briefing with Admiral Janeway about the true mission they were undertaking. Those revelations shocked her to her core. Romulan spies had informed them of the Ciona threat nearly a decade ago, however most of the Senate had believed that it was simply a ruse to throw them off-track. Picard's sanctioning of the heads of Starfleet had to have been condoned by the heads of the Federation, most likely to stave off a takeover by Starfleet command. After the incident, Starfleet closed itself off and the majority of leaks faltered and died as the Borg threat increased. But there were always rumors about what had happened.

The rumors had now been confirmed. Her people needed to find out as much as possible about these alien parasites. Now that her people were weakened, they needed such information to stave off another attack that might well be pointed in their territory, provided they survived the Cylons. Her father had told her stories, when she was young, about the universe and although she hadn't understood at the time, what he had told her was a simple truth. The universe _was_ out to get them. 

Inwardly, she grimaced. There were now millions of Romulan citizen-refuges, who fled to Federation territory under the protection of Starfleet, Colonial, Klingon, and yes, even Romulan defense vessels when Romulus and Remus were destroyed. The People were now fractured and being trapped in enemy territory, cared for by the same people who were their enemies for generations. The changes that would occur with her people trapped and at the mercy of their enemies, the possibilities as to what the future held for them made her shutter.

She saw the flash an instant before the hand touched the back of her neck. Stifling a surprised scream she whirled around in combat readiness. Now behind her, her aide who discovered that the comms were not working, was coming up fast in support against the interloper standing in front of them. 

"Not as fast as your mother," the being analyzed. "Must be that Romulan stiffness I've heard so much about," he said. 

She recognized the creature behind her. He looked so smug and superior that she knew she would always hate this creature. "Q!"

"Q," he confirmed while looking at the aide slowly advancing on him. Slowly, Q began raising his hand.

"No. Leave him alone."

"As you wish," Q replied. A moment later he snapped his finger and the aide was frozen in place. "My business is with you Sela."

"What do you want?" 

"I just want to talk for a while." She was intimidated by his presence and she could tell he liked that. 

"I think we have said everything there was to say," she retorted. "I don't have time for your antics. Now, release my aide."

Q appeared amused. "We haven't even started yet," he answered darkly. "I told you before that your existence was a fluke, a mistake of nature, an oversight of a temporal war you know nothing about."

She hated to be reminded by this creature that she was a mistake that should have never existed. She was here now and that's what counted. "I am aware of what I am," she hissed. 

"Do you?" he asked. "I think not. Romulans. They're nothing, less than Humans and Humans are so pathetic that it's unbelievable they've survived, let alone thrived for so long. But they have and that has been the dilemma for me. Why have they survived? Have you ever asked yourself that question alone at night when you were trying to discover what your purpose in life was?"

"No," she lied. 

"Well, that was the question we, the Q asked ourselves. So the Q devised a series of small tests for Humanity in order to evaluate their potential, the resilience and their commitment and surprisingly they passed. Believe me, we were amazed by the outcomes. Janeway, Picard, the others have been remarkably competent as they stumbled from one crisis to another without a clue as to what they were doing. It took a while to understand what it was they possessed that kept them from falling into oblivion. Would you like to know what we discovered?" he asked her.

"That their interference will get them all killed?"

"No. Quite the opposite. It is their sense of curiosity and the need, the drive to experience, to encounter unknown situations that should have caused them to flee in mindless terror. Think about it, Sela. The Borg should have assimilated the powers of the Alpha quadrant, but one little encounter with the Borg was enough to make all the difference. If it had been the Romulans, or the Klingons or any of a number of other races encountering the Borg on one of their little raiding parties, then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. Picard's and his cohort's stumbling saved you all from eternal itchy prosthetic, group-minded droneness. I knew he could do it the moment he swallowed his pride and asked for help. He constantly surprises me, as has Janeway. Through them I have seen the spark of potential in Humanity that is lacking in so many others.

"Humans are nothing," Sela spat. "If it wasn't for this war, our people would be slaughtering them even now."

"Oh, please." The next moment he was sitting in an elaborate chair he had created and so was she. "The Ruination war is a minor event compared to what is coming. The Reman plan was foolish and would have failed in any case. Your clone, an imperfect one at that, would not have survived against the real thing. And it's better for you in the long run that the plan to replace Picard was never begun." 

He eyes never wavered but he had struck a nerve. No one was to have known about that plot. Yet he knew, and probably had told Picard all about the Shinzon project.

"That incompetence is a good thing because if you had succeeded and plunged the Alpha quadrant into war you would have doomed this entire galaxy. Your race would be extinct because the Romulan Star Empire at its best couldn't beat the Federation now, even if it committed every resource you had. You, with your limited ambitions of power and revenge have no idea what's out here waiting for you. I thought the Klingons were clueless but then I met you. How you could come from Vulcan stock is almost unbelievable. You're in the middle of a war you don't know exists and you're concerned about your desires of revenge against Picard and the others." 

"What you fail to understand," he continued, "is that as sad as Humanity is, they are pulling you and the other races towards a new, enlightened way. They influence you and the others by their stumbling. None of the others have the drive to improve themselves, if the price means your death. You're willing to kill but not to sacrifice your lives on that all or nothing gamble. Humanity is the itch that causes the others to scratch. And that is why the surrounding races become more like humanity every passing decade. Count Iblis knows this and this is why Humanity and all of its offshoots, variations, and cousins will not be spared. He feels threatened by what the future holds. He will destroy life everywhere rather than allow that to happen.

"And while the gods feel threatened, here you are in the midst one of the greatest journeys of your limited life, worrying about how you're going to get your hands on the details of the zero-point warp core. You can't even see the hand in front of your face. Your idea of long-term goals is to rid yourselves of the enemy so you can take over their stuff and be new kings of a hill so tiny, it's but a speck of nothingness. With that kind of limited thinking the Romulan Empire could never beat the Federation. And you never will." 

Sela bristled at that last comment, but said nothing. Angry she may be, but she wasn't foolish. 

"Time itself is against you and I see a need to broaden your horizons," Q said to her. 

_What did that mean?_ Sela unconsciously stepped back. There was a threat in his voice that hadn't been there a moment before. 

"You know, I knew your mother better than you did and I only met her a couple of times," he told her. "You never understood her humanity, such as it was. You blamed her for trying to take you away from your father," he sneered. "A father who made her a slave; blackmailed her into marrying him in order to keep her crewmates alive, then killed all of her friends and compatriots and continually raped her to produce you. Your mother originally escaped from a colony where there were rape gangs who ravished after anybody they could catch. And she ended her life being a slave, trying to escape another rapist, your daddy," he whispered to her, every word dripping with undisguised scorn.

"You're less than a whole. You have no bonds with your humanity at all," he said appraisingly. And the love for your father, the rapist-murderer is undiminished, yet you consider the victim, your mother as less than the dirt you brush off your shoes. Can you see the irony in this?" he asked. The room seemed to darken as he continued to speak. She thought perhaps it was the reflection of his increasingly hostile mood. "As a father I understand a lot more about family and the bonds they generate. And as a merciful Q, I am going to give you the same opportunity."

There was something wrong, as though the control of her destiny had just been stripped from her and all she could think of was how this horrible creature had insulted her father. "My mother is dead." 

"Yes," Q said to her. "She is."

She turned to ask him what he meant, but he was gone.

***


	14. TailsYou Lose

**_Chapter 14_**

**_                                     "Tails, You lose"_**

****

****

"So Q was here on _Voyager_?" The Admiral asked.  

"Yes." Normally Sela would have kept her mouth shut and not reveal anything about her visitation of the creature known as Q.  However, these were troubling times and information was power.  There was the also fact that Starfleet had surveillance equipment hidden somewhere in her and her aides rooms; she was sure of it.  If she didn't say anything then she would lose what little credibility than she already had left.  "He seemed interested in my family history."

"Family history?" Janeway questioned.    It seemed as if the Admiral was going to inquire further, but had stopped herself when she saw Sela's increasing hostility at continuing the subject.  Instead she simply said, "Q's motivations are rather strange to us mortals." 

Sela could make out the cynicism in the Human's voice.  That seemed strange; because it appeared that she had some real affection for that entity.  Perhaps a previous relationship?

"It appears that the Cylons have attacked a star system and have stirred up the Imperixe military in this sector," the Admiral said.  Perhaps her facial expression betrayed her thoughts, for the woman was changing the subject.   They've sent two squadrons to apprehend the _Galactica_.  We are going to their aid."

In _Voyager's_ conference room, Janeway activated a three dimensional image of the relative positions of all three ships and their pursuers as related to the surrounding territory.   "As you know we have been skirting around the presumed border of Ciona space.  The Cylons attacked this system here and wiped out much of the population on this planet."

The image representing the planet was highlighted and it grew, becoming the dominant image.  "They destroyed several system outposts, eliminated the opposition and destroyed out over seventy percent of the planet's surface all in an effort to slow us down."

Sela, being a tactical specialist, figured that out for herself.  "But Admiral, they have succeeded in their mission the instant you decided to aid the _Galactica_," she protested.  "That vessel is powerful enough to handle its problems on its own.  Every minute wasted helping them is a minute lost trying to reach V'ger before the Cylons get there before us."

"Whether they get there before us isn't as important as you think," Janeway told her.  "They don't have the key.  We do."

Sela was intrigued.  "What key?"

"The children have protected themselves from invasion by with some sort of dampening field. No one can get within thirty light-years of their position utilizing any type of faster-than-light technology that we are aware of.  They've effectively neutralized FTL propulsion in that area.  The Borg haven't even been able to negate the dampening effect."  She turned to Sela, addressing her specifically.  "You are aware of the briefing concerning the Borg incursions into this area of space?"

Sela nodded sharply.  The history had been outlined by Q first to Janeway who in turn related the history to the others including her.  When the Borg, deep in the Beta quadrant, first discovered V'ger, naturally they tried to assimilate the massive probe.  The probe, of course, defended itself destroying the offending Borg sphere in the process.  That began an escalation of conflicts between V'ger and the Borg lasting thirty years before this static field was created, effectively blocking the Borg from getting anywhere near the probe.

***

During that time of relative peace and safety, the probe underwent a metamorphosis.  Fascinated by its human creator's appearance, it began to experiment and the results were the creation of children.  Why it chose the Human-Deltan form was not explained by Q but Sela had her suspicions as did Janeway.  The first creations failed and the children quickly expired.  But V'ger learned from its mistakes and within a newly created female Deltan probe-an exact copy of Ilia, the Deltan killed by V'ger over a hundred years

earlier, it started again.  It began again.

When V'ger joined with its creator, as represented by Captain Willard Decker who gave of himself of his own free will, it hadn't killed him.  Indeed had no intentions of doing so as much as desired to translate him into energy to better join with the biological entity.  Decker no longer existed but neither was he dead.  Somehow, using advanced knowledge that spanned the galaxy, male Human biology combined with female artificial Deltan probe, powered by the energy of V'ger itself, coming together to produce something unique.  The new life form possessed living cells completely integrated with machine components.  The chromosomal genetic structures contained both natural DNA and machine designed synthetic DNA.  The mitochondria were composed of multitasking, molecule-sized processors -technology that helped to power the living cells.  Proteins in machined analogs worked in perfect harmony with one another.  The result was a perfect blend of organic and inorganic life housed in the human form with the scaled down sex-drive of the Deltan species.  Five children were born-created-generated-whatever, and of those five, two survived.  The other three proved to be unviable.  The probe's total power, knowledge and data were now in the possession of the two survivors, one male and one female.   

To the Borg, the children were the personification of perfection and they went after with a vengeance.  Anytime the children dared to venture out of the cocoon of protection, the Of course the Borg were there, attracted to them like moths to a flame, trying to assimilate them.  The children were naïve yet had the power of the V'ger.  The Borg were slaughtered by the tens of millions and still they came.  Encountering intense resistance by the children, the Borg assimilated more and more civilizations to replace their depleted resources and to find a way to capture the children.  So far, they had failed.  When humanity was encountered, first by Annika's parents and then the _Enterprise_, the Borg believed they had found a way to get to the children.  However the Federation was far away and precious resources were needed elsewhere in order to pursue perfection.  It was determined that one ship would be sufficient to assimilate the Federation and Humanity, thus conserving power with efficiency.  They would then have another weapon in their ongoing search to acquire the children

The first attack failed.  No matter, they tried again. The second attack failed even when attempting to manipulate time.  A fleet should have been sent to complete the task, but it was decided that they enter a new space, a fluidic space and assimilate the life forms there that were so intriguing.  Species 8472 shattered much of their vessels, destroyed countless drones and began a war which brought the Borg close to extermination.  The Collective was angered as Janeway destroyed a valuable weapon, which could have destroyed Species 8472.  She destroyed the transwarp hub; she interfered with the Collective and essentially shredded plans decades in the making.  

Conflicts with the Imperixe located in the Beta quadrant were difficult.  Their technology represented no threat to the Borg or the major Alpha quadrant powers but the parasites themselves were practically invisible to Borg probes and constantly adapted to Borg detection scanners with their own natural biology.  Parasitized drones constantly caused as much damage in cubes and the matrices as the Borg did to their home worlds.  Organics used as host were unviable drones and assimilation didn't work on creatures that simply chose to die at a moment's notice.  After decades of skirmishes, an uneasy, undeclared truce was made between the two antagonists.

***

That amount of information given was staggering.  Sela doubted if the Romulan Empire would have given out this king of information freely, if at all.

"The Borg have very little to do with this space.  It's not profitable enough for them.  But the Imperixe have spread across thousands of systems infecting every one on their paths."

And that was another problem.  The Cionas would not have taken over by force of arms as much as by force of numbers.  If the Federation territories had been compromised then the parasites would have infected as many core worlds as possible in numbers that would have ranged in the hundreds of millions.  Infected worlds would have spread the contagion everywhere.  The only recourse would have been for the Federation to do the unthinkable; sterilize entire worlds.  The stability of the entire region would have been shattered.  Resistance would have been unorganized and everyone would have been enslaved.  "But what key are you talking about?"

"It's something I hope will get the children's attention and allow us entry, before the Cylons can influence them too much.  They have a piece of humanity within them and I intend to take advantage of that humanity."

The Romulan hybrid was completely skeptical.  "Touch V'ger's humanity?  You people are so arrogant," she said, not quite believing what she'd just heard.  "I have the reports detailing that probe's power ratios and what happen at hundred years ago.  When that primitive probe you Earth people sent came back, it destroyed Klingon warships and a Federation star base as an afterthought.  Even today, a thousand starships couldn't generate the kind of energy readings," Sela growled.   "It has no 'humanity' within it whatsoever."

"I'm not so sure," the Admiral countered.  "V'ger was self aware, searching for its meaning among the stars.  It had the same drive as we do.  It was curious about its creators.  It wanted to join with us, to become complete, to become more than what it was.  But I understand your point, Adjutant.  These children may be so completely alien that we will have no points of reference between us.  But it is also possible that the children may be more like us than we know." 

"I don't understand your species, "she snapped.  "You're not rational!  There are dangers out here, and you send probes with friendly greetings deep into the unknown.  There were dozens of alien species out there that could have ravaged an Earth that would have been completely defenseless because of those probes.  It's a miracle that V'ger didn't sterilize Earth.  That should have made you cautious but you never learned.  The fights with the Klingons, my people, the Xindi, the Orions, the Borg, and so many others, it's been primarily Humanity's fault in one way or another.  But you never learn.  Even your Colonial relatives in the Beta quadrant managed to provoke the Cylons into a death feud for exactly the same reasons. You people constantly put yourselves in positions where you can do the most damage.  You interfere with everything and then you wonder why your enemies surround you.  And then you speculate why the Romulan people and everyone else hates you." 

Janeway nearly laughed in Sela's face, but diplomacy and professionalism won over raw emotions.  "I have a different perception of the actions taken by my people," she responded.  "You are partly human, Adjutant Sela.   Surely there must be something of your humanity that you've not completely rejected."

"I am Romulan," she answered.  "With all due respect, Admiral, we were out in space before your people discovered powered flight, while your people have caused more wars out of ignorance than the Star Empire ever did."

"An Empire that has been effectively gutted, I might add."  Janeway took a breath.  This woman was infuriating.  "We're not here to discuss politics, Sela," Janeway told her after a moment.   "You asked about the key."

"And it's clear that you have no intentions of telling me what the key is."

"The key is our link to our Humanity, something you've obviously rejected. When the time comes, I will inform you as to what it is.  At this moment, it's clear that the Romulan representative hasn't earned the trust of the Starfleet Officer-in-Command to share that information." 

"I didn't think so," Sela responded as she walked off the bridge.  

***

Inside her stateroom, Sela couldn't help but to smile.  Admiral Kathryn Janeway, for all of her intelligence had given away critical information so easily that it was laughable. 

"So it is true," Tarok, her first aide said.  The tight collar chaffed the neck at the tall middle-aged Romulan.  Playing the aide didn't suit him well.  

"These people are so predictable," said a smirking Sela.  "Janeway should have never admitted anything about this key to contacting the Children."

"I suspected something like this," said T'wlyn.  The Federation seems gifted when it comes to communicating with entities.   If they are allowed to complete their mission, even if it survives, the Empire will have no chance to defend ourselves against their encroachments."

"A cogent point," agreed Tarok.  "But these are arguments for the immediate future.  The immediate present is what concerns us.  The Cylon power base has been stalemated for the present but our forces need time to regroup.  The Cardasssian-Bajor sector is under heavy attack.  It is clear that the Cylons want control of the wormhole."

"Yes," Sela said.  "They don't want the Dominion actively joining the fight, therefore _Deep Space Nine_ and the surrounding sectors must be defended by the Klingons and Starfleet at all costs.  And that means that the Romulan border will be abandoned.   The Katasi fortress and factory was damaged but not destroyed.  Starfleet defenses will continue applying pressure against them but it's unlikely that they can damage the complex enough to stop it from being a continual threat.  With the focus of the war there and Starfleet's need to protect their own planetary systems, the Cylons will be free to invade our space at will and there's little we can do about it."    

"Is Starfleet aware of the second factory complex?"

"Yes.  The _Pegasus Wildfire_ group is assigned to destroy it."  The contempt in T'wlyn's voice was evident with each and every breath.  He was Tal Shair of the new order. 

"Cain and his daughter are competent soldiers, especially, Command Cain," Tarok argued.

Sela nodded.  "He will be the first to be eliminated if we survive this war.  Adama, Cain and the rest brought this on us and we will pay them back in kind.  But for now, we must decide if the children can be allowed to exist after their initial contact with the humans."

"Adjutant," Tarok said.  "This is not a human matter, but a Starfleet matter.  The children may be the Empire's only hope of survival and we will decide if they should be terminated or not, after we come into contact with them.  You will maintain your perspective on this or the mission will be jeopardized and I will not allow that."

The Romulan female's demeanor changed.  She was more defensive now, more cautious.  Tarok, a senior member of the Senate was one not to be trifled with.  

"Don't you understand? The humans and their Vulcan underlings _are_ the Federation.  Everything revolves around them.  The others meekly follow their dictates in everything that they do.   They are the long-term danger."

"I agree with them being a long term danger, but too many have made the mistake of assuming that the humans are the Federation.   Even if we wipe them out, the Federation will endure.  If the humans are the spine, then our cousins, the Andorians and the rest are now the supporting ribs.  We will have to deal with them all."

"Without the humans, they will fold," Sela countered.

"I doubt that assessment," T'wlyn retorted as he moved closer towards a more cautious Sela.

Tarok stepped in between the two.  

"Be that as it may," Sela said.  "Our original problem still stands.  My opinion is that we terminate the children in either case.  The potential for disaster is too great.  If the humans can get the children to destroy the Cylons or help us resist them that is all well and good.  If not we will find a way to destroy them, and the Children."

"Agreed.  The Federation must be stopped from spreading their influence everywhere like a plague.  They have already done too much.  We cannot allow the humans to continue to survive while the Romulan Empire becomes extinct.  I would rather lose the war rather than see Humanity spread their stain across this galaxy. "

Both Tarok and Sela were taken back by that comment.  "T'wlyn, that's a rather extreme view, isn't it?  We're here to ensure the survival of our people first, not to promote genocide."

"The Romulan people will be destroyed," T'wlyn said to their surprise.  "We cannot resist with the resources we have at this time.  The Federation is weak and will fall and what is left our quadrant will fall into a dark age of despairs and ignorance.  The children will not be able to resist the Cylon Empire.  We require help from another source."

Tarok didn't like the way this conversation had just turned.  There was something dangerous in T'wlyn's eyes, a hint of madness that had not been there moments earlier.  "What are you talking about?"

"There is one who can help us."

"Who can help us?" Sela asked.  She noticed that something was wrong with him as well.  Now she was slowly backing away from him, giving herself a little distance.  

"He calls himself the Travigen, the Morning Star and the heart of Iblis.  His power is great," the Romulan said reverently.  "He saved my family and myself before the destruction of Romulus.  I owe my allegiance to him."  

"You owe your allegiance to the Empire, not to anyone else," Sela countered.  "Who is this Travigen?"  She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"A god," came his answer.  "He took us moments before the wave front hit and placed us on the refugee ships after the fall of Remus.  He is supreme and if you, Sela, ask him, he will save the Empire."  

Tarok's face was a study in hostility.  "Your mind is damaged, T'wlyn.  A god?  The gods don't save people.  If they exist, they simply want gullible fools to worship them."

"Iblis is no god," a voice said from behind them, causing everyone in the room to jump.  "He is simply an inferior being, compared to me of course, trying to recruit mortal flotsam to do his bidding."

"Q."  Once more, his abrupt presence startled Sela.  Why was he back again?  And why did he look so angry?

***

 "He began this war in the first place, not the Humans, as you so quaintly put it.  He can best be described as a soul drinker, not a god."  With supreme arrogance, the entity known Q created an opulent chair for himself and sat on it like some type of ancient deity.  

"You lie," T'wlyn spat.  "He is a savior!"  He moved towards the Entity.  Q smiled at him, snapped his finger and the Romulan disappeared.   Q quickly turned his attention onto the others, specifically Sela. 

"Don't you love it when the gullible ones scream at you, as though all of that loud noise will change your opinions?"  He simply shook his head.  I'll have to have a talk with her," he said more to himself than to the others.  "Janeway was foolish to allow you onboard her vessel."  Then he once more directed his gaze upon them all and as one they shrank away from him.   

"So, you're going to try to kill the children?"  He began laughing as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard.  "It'll never happen, but you'd try and by doing so would interfere with all of my carefully prepared plans."  The entity called Q darkened visibly and the air around him shimmered.  "I think not."

Both Sela and Tarok were on the verge of panic.  They could feel the power of Q closing in on them, enveloping them like a shroud.  

"You believe that the Romulan people can handle anything and if you can't, then destroying it is the only alternative.  You're independent, willful and foolishly unaware of the things going on around you.  You're worse than the Humans.  No wonder they kept defeating you time after time."

"Q!" Sela yelled desperately, no longer caring about his insults.  She listened in utter dread at his voice rising in pitch as he spoke to them.   She didn't know what was about to happen and didn't want to find out either.   "Don't…"

"Don't what?" mocked the entity.  "I'm about to give you a lesson on the follies of supposed Romulan supremacy and arrogance.  I had to teach Picard a similar lesson.  Do you think you can do better than him?  His half smile turned into a sneer.  "We'll, see," he mused.  "I just hope you survive long enough to learn from it."   

The room was pitch-black now, with only Q's face and his left hand showing.  Sela's entire body tingled and she was filled with terror.  "Please," she murmured.  "Don't do this."  Beside her, Tarok was groaning as if in pain.  A moment later, she felt it also, an intense, stabbing pain racking every part of her body.  And it was getting worse by the second.  

"I admit, this is a little melodramatic, but listening to your dribble really got me into a foul mood.   Prepare yourselves.  This is only the beginning," his voice thundered in her brain.  "As the humans say, 'it's time to see if you can dance!'"

There was a snapping of fingers-

-Sela and Tarok both screamed.  

Then there was silence.

***

TBC


	15. A Brave New World

Chapter 15 

****

**_"A Brave New World" _**

The Battlestar Galactica's main guns gutted a third Imperixe vessel foolish enough to within range of their targeting computers.  The twin disruptor canons penetrated the enemy's protective shields with ease, smashing into the hull and exiting the opposite side. And once again, the pursing fleet, stung by the loss of another ship, pulled back.  

"Lord, I'm sick of this," Starbuck said.  "This is such a waste.  They know they can't hurt us, not with what they have out there.  But they keep trying."

Next to him, father and son understood exactly how he felt.  The enemy ships were large, but the commanders had absolutely no concept of military tactics.  They simply came forward and as a result died under the Colonial onslaught.

Instead of waiting for reinforcements, the first enemy squadron intercepted the _Galactica_ and its escort head on.  The _Vipers, Cobras_ and _Peregrines_ hit them first with two salvos of photon torpedoes and Aeriana laced-solonite missiles.  The smaller Imperixe vessels in their tight formations were torn apart by the resultant explosions.  The six surviving capital ships, rushed in, irregardless of their losses and were caught between the blistering firepower of the fighters and two _Adders_.  Brutally plummeted from both sides, one ship managed to race to safety.   The learned nothing from that experience and attempted the same tactics twice more.

"This is a slaughter."

"Yes," Adama answered.  He was deep in thought.  "These forces are only meant to slow us down."

"Agreed," said Apollo.  "These ships are undermanned and under-gunned.  They're using the big stuff for their real enemies.  They simply want to overwhelm us just before we reach the edge of the tetryon field."

"That might be one of the reasons why their empire is losing to the Sinhindrea."

It's possible," Adama said.  "But true Imperixe strength is not determined by the power of their weapons, as much as in the sheer numbers they represent.  They've held off the Sinhindrea because of the huge numbers of ships they have to expend.   But they've wasted the resources of a thousand worlds.   And now, they're wasting resources trying to fight back against their new enemy with tactics that don't work."

"Maybe they haven't had experience fighting full fledged wars. Throwing massive number of ships doesn't work.  The Cylons did the same thing before their upgrades. That didn't work either."

***

Thomas Riker:

It never ceased to amaze Captain Riker how each ship felt different.  The _Saber_ had an uniqueness to it, as compared to the _Defiant_.  On that small ship, he felt as if he were in a large closet.  It wasn't a bad feeling, not by far. Everything seemed to be in reach and he could literally sense the aft section.  On this larger vessel, he couldn't quite make the same connection.  But in his mind, this vessel felt more like a true starship.  In front of him were two ensigns so youthful-looking that he had a hard time convincing himself that they had even graduated from the academy two years earlier.  They were a study of concentration, deftly avoiding the Imperixe ships congregating in the sector.  

The Imperixe had fought and apparently lost a large battle here.  Unlike most nations, imperixe military forces were made up of  many hundreds of cultures, some more advanced than others.   As the huge mix of vessels were catalogued, it was confirmed that the only common denominator between them all was that they were all under control of the parasites.  Apparently, they were not great strategists when it came to space combat.  Large clusters of ruined ships were observed near one another as if they had simply rushed in to meet the enemy without any consideration of space-war tactics.  They rushed in and were slaughtered apparently without mercy by a superior foe.  

Obviously members of the crew had come to the same conclusions.  "Captain," Ensign Miller spoke.  "How could their empire be so strong while losing so many ships?"

Riker wondered about that himself.   "I am not sure," he answered.  "Their specialty is infiltration and it's possible that they've never run into a force that has brought the fight directly to them. Apparently they don't have the experience fighting a space war.  The information I've received on the Imperixe is that they have been around for a long time, even existing concurrently in the time of the T'kon Empire.  The same fate that destroyed the T'kon, also shattered their empire.   They began again and have had a few run ins with the Borg.  The Borg tried to assimilate them but the Imperixe are resistant to such attacks.  The Borg have superior firepower but, they seem to have little interest in Ciona held territory."

"Yeah," Miller said.  "They only want species that improve their technological and biological ideas of perfection," he added bitterly.  His older sister was lost at the battle of Wolf 359 along with eleven thousand others.  He hadn't forgotten.  "The Imperixe don't quality."

"They fight more like the Cylons," Lieutenant Hauthor said.  She was hunched over sensors and once on duty rarely diverted her concentration at anything else, but she spoke up now.  "My parents used to tell me how the old Cylons fought.  They called it the one-dimensional mentality.  They continued to attack the same way, using the same patterns over and over.  They preferred force of numbers rather than tactics.  That was way the Colonials always beat them."  

That was the same thing that Athena and Apollo had told him.  "Well, the tactic isn't working for the Imperixe either.  That's the reason why they want to 'acquire' the _Galactica._  They just want a bigger hammer without changing the position of the nail."

"Sir," we're coming out of the next tetryon pocket in twelve seconds."  She sighed.  "Negative, Sir.  There's nothing here."

 "Maintain cloak.  Prepare to go to warp to our next target."

"Aye, Sir."

The search continued for four more days with little success.  The direction took them out of the more damaged sections of this region of space.  On day five, they found what they were looking for.   

The _Rantoul_ entered a debris field littered with hundreds of ships.  The battle had taken place near a small planetoid.  Most of the ships were of Imperixe design, torn and shredded nearly beyond recognition.  This was one of the first and most bitterly contested engagements between the two powers.  The radiation levels would make sure that his ship couldn't long remain in this area.

"They're all cold, Captain.  No life forms present," Hauthor announced.  "Radiation decay profiles in the area indicate this happened forty years ago.  

Riker was standing now, eyes plastered on the screen.  "Is there any sign of enemy wreckage?"  

"Nothing yet, Sir."  

He sighed.  So far, only Imperixe ships had been seen among the devastation.  Not one single Sinhindrea vessel had been found among the four battle sites they had examined.  That had given him a sense of foreboding.  Either they were far superior to anything the Imperixe possessed, or they purposely left nothing behind to be analyzed.  Hopefully, it was the later.

"Continue the search.  Use search pattern sigma two. I want to make-"

"Sir, I have something."  The young officer was excited.  "It's onscreen."

"Magnify."

On the viewer, there was wreckage that differed from all the rest of the debris.  It was the remains of a ship.  It was a single piece, oddly shaped, like a long rectangle.  It was also nearly half as long as the _Galactica_.

"Scanning.  The remains consists of an alloy can't be fully identified by our scanners.  It's hollow and it seems to be a composite of tritanium and a crystalline substance, held together by some type of fluidic polymer, sensors can't even begin to identify.  Sensors have not detected any circuitry at this range.  The high levels of radiation are causing some interference in our resolution.  I would suggest that we get closer to get a more detailed analysis."

"De-cloak and move us to within five hundred meters of the object.  Shields on full," Riker ordered.  "How much time before we have to vacate the area?"

 "Fourteen minutes."

"Okay, let's make the most of it."  _Know thy enemy_, he thought.    

***  

The _Azetbur _remained stationary and cloaked at the edge of the _Galactica's _designated exit point for two days before it was joined by _Voyager_ fighting its way through a small group of Imperixe attempting to disable it.  It was a useless gesture on the enemy's part, the Captain mused.   The Federation ship outclassed everything that tried to stop it.  

Despite himself, Kagth was intimidated by sheer power possessed by Janeway's ship.  Klingons reveled in war; humans did not.  Humans feared Klingons; Klingons intimidated humans.  But humans and the Federation knew how to built warships.  They fought and defeated the Borg even though they lost several scores of ships doing it.  But the Klingons had lost even more, as had the Romulans in battles, most of the Federation were never aware of.  And the members of the Federation did get along far better than the citizens of the Klingon Empire.  The Colonials were a different, move overtly warrior-breed, but they were so close to their Terran cousins that it really made little difference.  He admired that sense of community and he found himself wishing for it.  Colonials and Terrans, who had never before met, had embraced one another as if they had the same mothers and fathers.  He sincerely doubted if his people would have done the same.  In fact he knew this to be true in his heart. 

And he hated it.  That was the reason why Martok picked him to be a part of this glorious expedition.  He thought differently, like Martok and Kahless the New.  There was a new age coming to the Klingon Empire and he found himself at the very tip of the sharpened blade.  Kagth was pleasant to his crew, all of which terrified them even more to his everlasting amusement.  But they were getting used to it and the crew seemed the better for it.  Their responses were quicker, they were more alert and they asked questions.  They were interested in their jobs.  

It was more than just duty for his crew.  He didn't have the exact word for what he was experiencing, but the closest he could come to describing it was joy at doing something new.  When duty became a pleasure, he felt as if there was nothing he could not do.  

_Voyager_ launched a blistering attack against the fleet waiting for the emergence of the _Galactica_ from the tetryon field.  Quantum torpedo spreads slammed into the shields of the Imperixe ships and they scattered like so much sand against the storm.  And Kagth snorted.  These ships were nothing but the local guard, inferior in every way.  They were weak, the remnants of those left behind while the worthy fought their enemies on fields of battle far from here.  Sensors had picked up the _Galactica_ an hour earlier, not even slowing down as fifteen of the unworthy attacked it face-to-face.  The _Vipers_ and _Peregrines_ in the lead punched holes in the enemy formations using quantums and the Colonial missiles that carried a far greater punch than they should have.  Then the Battlestar added its magnificent firepower at nearly point blank range.  The enemy ran.  There was no dishonor in retreating from a superior foe.  The ones behind continued to follow.

"Sir, a ship, decloaking to our starboard bow," Yannsi announced.  "One hundred thousand kilicams.  It's the_ Rantoul_."       

"Good.  Everyone is here.  We can continue our journey.  I have and enough of this tomb."

Unmolested, the _Rantoul_ nestled underneath the Battlestar _Galactica _locked, into place next to the other ships already docked.

These conflicts were nothing Kagth thought.  There was more out here and he couldn't wait to find out what it was.  Already his ship was accelerating in quantum slipstream towards their destination with the others. 

The communication's officer signaled for his attention.  

It was Riker.  "We found something."

***

The very absence of pain hit was almost as shockingly intense as the indescribable pain she'd just experienced a moment before. The throbbing was lessening now, and she was able to move once more without fear. For a moment she didn't know where she was. She heard a gasp next to her.  It was Tarok strapped in a chair; they were in their Romulan version of a runabout and the two of them weren't alone. Behind them was a terrified T'wlyn.  All six of her compatriots were here, each in various stages of recovery from whatever Q had done to them.  Apparently all of them had been removed to wherever they presently were by the same painful process.  Checking the instruments, everything seemed to be in working order.  Next to her, Tarok stirred.

"What happened? Why are we on our ship?"

"I-I don't know," she answered honestly.  "But I do know who did this to us."

Already, Tarok was checking coordinates. According to the scans, there was nothing familiar about the immediate area. The planet exhibited signs of  a vicious battle just been recently waged.  Everywhere there was wreckage, both in orbit and in the surrounding system. The entire area hot with gamma radiation.

***

"Fusion detonations," Tarok announced quietly in the subdued lighting of the interior cabin.  "The inhabitants here tried to defend themselves with nuclear weapons.

"Primitive weapons technology," sniffed someone from behind.

"No," responded Tarok.  The vessel cruising by their cloaked ship was nearly sixteen hundred meters long, antimatter-powered, with ion and laser canons and missile launchers.  Scanning the area, he discovered more than thirty ships in the area, with multiple escorts flying cover all through the solar system.  They were at a heightened state of alert.  Someone must have attacked their territory, he assumed.  The planet suffered from a series of orbital strikes, plasma based weaponry, not unlike Romulan-based energy weapons, but the signature was more refined.  

A bright light illuminated the darkness, startling all onboard. Q looked like a hologram as his essence flickered in front of them.  "This doesn't look familiar, does it?" he addressed them.  His voice was oddly indifferent about the entire set of circumstances and was even more chilling because of it.  "Your charts won't identify anything here, it's too far away. _Voyager_ won't track you down," he announced to them. "They don't even know you're gone, yet!  You're lost, all alone, with no support, in very hostile territory.  The only thing you have are your wits, such as they are."

"Don't do this," implored a desperate Sela.  "You can stop this."

"And why would I want to do that?" he asked.  "Are you admitting that you won't be able to handle the situation you've been placed in?"

Sela looked at him.  "I…" His smile got wider and the only thing she could think to do was to wipe it off his face.  "We don't need your help," she snarled.  "Whether we live or die, we will do it on our terms."  Behind her, she could feel agreement radiating from all of her crewmates and she was comforted by it. 

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed an exuberant Q.  "You have confirmed my expectations of the Romulan people.  The sin of pride always has first sway.  Have fun."

With a flash, he disappeared, but reappeared a moment later. "Oh," he said. "I forgot to tell you. Your ship is broken."

Eyebrows raised, he again disappeared and the Romulan vessel shuttered violently.

"We've lost power! The cloak is non-operational!"

***

This whole situation was intolerable, the Emperor thought.  The lord and master of the republic could have very easily been killed and how would his ascension to godhood have been achieved then?  The Emperor had to get off planet before the aliens came back with more ships to finish what they started.  Defensive forces, spread throughout the solar system had been inadequate to handle this new enemy threat.  They were loyal and courageous but his biggest and best warships, the pride of the imperial fleet had been swatted around like toys.  The attackers had seen this weakness and if they returned in force… 

Protectorate Operations were scrambling, trying to determine who the aliens were and how they got into protected space without being detected. It was very similar to what the Klingon ship had done on several occasions. Eventually the sensors were modified enough to detect those Klingon murderers, but that underscored a theory that the military was circulating. The form of propulsion that these new aliens used was yet again different from either standard hyperspace or the newly discovered subspace techniques employed by the Earth forces arrayed against him. 

"Re-enforce our defenses on all properties and colony worlds.  This may have been a random attack, a probe on our defenses, which have been found wanting," he fumed. Inwardly, he smiled at the way his Generals quaked at the sound of his voice. 

"My Lord," addressed a startled officer.  Another ship has just appeared in orbit.  It just appeared on our sensors, it was not there a moment ago!  I swear it!"

"Destroyed it!" the leader screamed.  The others were back to complete what they started thought the Emperor in panic!

As others hastened to obey the orders given, the officer who first detected the ship continued his report. "The ship's configuration is not the same as those who attacked us.  Its orbit is erratic and its power ratings are diminishing.  Energy reads are close to zero."

"Hold your order to destroy it, General." The Emperor ordered.  He turned to the young Officer scanning the damaged ship.  "Give me a visual," he commanded.   After a few seconds of observation, the Emperor came to the same conclusions as his senior officers.

"It does looks like a small Klingon ship," one of the Generals confirmed.  "They were probably spying on us and must have been damaged in the crossfire," he concluded. "This is an opportunity."

"Yes!" their leader exclaimed. "Capture that ship, immediately.  If the aliens resist, kill them."

*** 

T'wlyn woke up on the floor of some opulent room with his hands and feet bound by some type of metal restrains.  Nearby his associates were accounted for, all with similar restrains on.  There were guards, lots of them all holding large rifles at the prisoners. That's what he was, he realized, as he struggled to remember how he had gotten into this predicament. 

The first trace of memory was the face of Q saying something. What was it? Yes. He said our ship was broken. Immediately, it lost power, the cloaking device went offline, life-support failed, weapons were lost, and even the self-destruct failed to activate. Through the front window, he could see the monstrously huge ships moving closer. Then his vision faded.

The aliens must have tractored the shuttle in and brought them here, to this place.  Sela was waking up now and so was S'anona.  She was security, who had failed her duty spectacularly.  He would have been amused at her humiliation if the situation weren't so tense.  He didn't blame her though.  This was Q's fault.  Q left them completely cut off and utterly alone.  

Two of the guards pulled him to a standing position none too gently.  His mind was clearer now, and he understood his captors to be humans.  No, that wasn't right.  They looked like humans, but the scent was wrong.  One of the guards seemed captivated by his Romulan-shaped ears.  He seemed intent on parading him around for all to see. Cautiously, T'wlyn allowed him to do so.  S'anona chose not to and resisted as much as she was able.  The guards instantly were on her, beating and kicking her, turning her into bloodied mess.  He heard bones snap, and there was an audible crunch before they stopped by order of their leader.

Helpless, T'wlyn felt the terror growing inside him.  The splendidly dressed leader carried an aura of menace around him like a cloak.  He was speaking to his people, but the Romulan couldn't understand him.  Belatedly, he realized that his universal translator was not functioning either.  Apparently satisfied with the pain inflected on S'anona, he turned towards Sela who defiantly returned his glare.  He spoke to her, but Sela didn't understand him.  The leader continued to speak to her as he playfully examined her blond hair and pointed towards the shuttle located in the courtyard.  Sela was trying to respond but it was no use, her transplant was not functional.

The humanoid was screaming her now, and in the midst of the gibberish the man was sprouting, T'wlyn caught two words.  The first was 'Klingon' and the other, more important word was 'Vulcan'.  The Adjutant had heard also.

"We're not Vulcans," she spat.  How could this leader know who the Vulcans were but not the Romulans?

He didn't understand or simply didn't believe her.  For a moment he glared at Sela then started ranting hysterically at her as though screaming would help him to be better understood.  The man was frightened of something, almost driven mad with fear.  The leader turned towards him spoke quickly.  As T'wlyn and his people were dragged away, he was sure that the leader had referred to himself.

The word had to be the leader's name. It had to be. 

What sort of name was that, he thought.

Cartagia.

***

Treanir was told that this would be a great opportunity for him, a chance for advancement, that power would be his for the taking, all with the Emperor's blessing.  The Emperor was mistaken.  Instead of power for the taking, Treanir found death and despair. His body felt twenty years older.  Being a professional soldier had not prepared him for the things he'd seen.  The only reason why he wasn't insane was because he willed it so.  Waiting outside the blast doors, an exhausted Captain Treanir couldn't have cared less how his Emperor with his high-pitched voice would react to the news he carried. The doors opened and he walked in portraying an arrogance he didn't feel.

"I want to see this Captain Treanir, now," the shrill-voiced Emperor screamed and the Captain felt a chill go through his body as he entered the main hall.  Determined, he intended to show no fear in Cartagia's presence.

"Speak to me," The leader of the Centauri republic ordered. 

After a moment's preparation he began. "At your order, we proceeded to

Z'ha'dum where our ships were refitted."

"I am aware of this," Cartagia whispered dangerously. 

Treanir ignored the threat emanating from his crazed Emperor, a little, foolish man  unworthy to even lick his boots.  The threat from afar was too important to think of abasing himself before the Emperor.  "These aliens are a terror, my Emperor.  They attacked the homeworld of the Shadows and now it is theirs. The Shadows, Drakh and their allies, couldn't muster a proper defense in time.  Many of them were turned and fought against their own kind due to the alien influence.  They're telepathic and they subverted many of those who fought against them.  They stripped the secrets of those they had taken over and have attacked their planets.  I was forced to kill several of my own crew who were lost to these influences.  All of our ships but mine, were destroyed by the enemy.  They are powerful and they have shields: screens like those of the Starfleeters," he added, it took a lot to remain indifferent when the Emperor blanched. 

"Our ships fought back along with the rest, but their weapons were too powerful. We knew the battle was lost and all of us scattered. But the creatures know where we are. They are coming and they will kill all of those they felt are a threat."

Watching Cartagia carefully, he finished his report and waited. The Emperor was truly mad and his tendency to kill messengers was well known.  However, he was so emotionally exhausted that he just didn't care.  All the recordings of his experiences were available and he repressed a magnificent retort when Cartagia chided him about doing something right. The Emperor was clearly irritated by him.  Treanir felt a perverse sense of pride about that.

However, the strange ship in the courtyard brought memories rushing to the surface. Vids from the Babylon Five Centauri debacle rose unbidden from his mind.  The ship looked remarkably Klingon.  Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to push the Emperors patience.  "Is that a Klingon ship?"

"No," Cartagia announced. "We have been told that it is one of the Vulcan shuttles onboard the _Enterprise _that has been spying on us. Their ship's power died and we caught them. It's such a fortunate gift. Our people will move it to a secured facility and we will tear it apart and discover for ourselves the secrets it possesses. The shields will be very useful and the weapons as well. We can study it and thereby become an even greater power in this universe. No more will We  have to bow down to the likes of the Minbari." 

Treanir didn't respond to his emperor's rantings.   He knew what was in store for the prisoners and he almost felt sorry for them.  When frightened, Cartagia was too heavy-handed and as such, would probably not extract too much useful information from them.  He was an inpatient leader and the prisoners would most likely perish under his tender ministrations.  He just prayed that they would have enough time to discover the technological wonders onboard before the butchers of Z'ha'dum came to finish what they started. 

He sincerely doubted it.

***


	16. chapter 17First Contact and V'ger

_Chapter 17_

****

**_"First Contact - The Other Side of the Coin" _**

The Battlestar _Galactica_:

Now free from the tetryon field and of the Imperixe inhibiting its progress, the mighty Colonial vessel's transwarp engines were fully engaged and the ship was moving towards its ultimate destination.  In slipstream, her allies were vectoring in the same direction to a point four thousand light-years distant.  The Imperixe not having access to supra FTL travel, were unable to follow.  

Colonial Captain (pending) Thomas Riker, Commander Apollo, Strike Commander Starbuck, Ex-President Adama and other command staff met in the Galactica's main conference room.  It was a large room, sufficient to house nearly one hundred people comfortably, although only twenty were present at this time.   Communications with _Azetbur_ and _Voyager _was spotty but they were now participating in the vid conference.  They were all eagerly awaiting Riker's report on his discoveries.  

Ingesting a large glass of water, he began his report.

"We were not the first to be lured into the tetryon field," he started, stating the obvious.  The area has been the site of several battles between the Imperixe and those we believe to be the Sinhindrea.  According to the data, the Sinhindrea have defeated the Imperixe in almost every engagement between the two.  I want to stress that this may not be a consistent occurrence throughout Imperixe territory, but in this sector, the Imperixe lost decisively.  The earliest battle we were able to gain access to happened approximately forty years ago.  It was unique by the fact that it alone had wreckage of non-Imperixe origin.  In all of the wreckage we were able to analyze, only one vessel appeared not to be Imperixe.  

The _Rantoul__'s _scanners discovered this artifact."    

The image displayed was relatively unremarkable at first glance.  It consisted of a long rectangle-like shape that reminded some of a piece of broken corridor, the remains of something that was much larger.  It was a dark, dark, blue in color and for the most part vaguely reminded one of a gun tube.

"The composition of this structure is known to us.  But there is a fluiditic polymer present that keeps the structure together almost as glue would.  However this polymer soaks up energy like a sponge and we believe that it is used to transfer energy back and forth to the rest of the vessel much like our EPS conduits.  It's a technology completely foreign to anything we have encountered. We couldn't retrieve a sample," Riker continued.   "It was so radioactive that even with the containment fields it wouldn't have been worth the risk. I'm transmitting all of our data to our respective ships now."

"Was there any sign of Cylon activity during your survey?" Adama asked.

"No," Riker stated.  "But we really didn't expect any, either.  The Cylons have cloaking and quantum slipstream technology and we wouldn't have detected them.  It is very  likely that they bypassed this entire area in order to get to the edge of V'ger's territory before us.  Their attack on the Imperixe was just enough to have them focus on us while they continued their mission unimpeded.   

Onscreen, Kagth fumed.  The Cylons have no honor," he added uselessly.  "We will find their ships and destroy the machines," the captain said with absolute conviction.  "I believe the Imperixe have little use for empire building," the Klingon said slowly.  "They require territory to be free.  The world we happened upon had been ravaged.  These parasites took the best of everything and left ruins and this seems to be the pattern.  They spread like a plague and leave nothing.  They_ are _dangerous, and we must be wary of them, but they use others to do their fighting and that weakness will be that which destroys them.  The Klingon Empire will destroy them and free the worlds they have feasted upon." The anger upon his face was frightening.  "But we will deal with the machines first."

"The Cylons will make their presence known soon enough," Apollo said.  "My concern is the Sinhindrea and the possible threat they pose to this mission."

Janeway looked disappointed.  "Hopefully we will retrieve samples without running into them directly.  We're going to go over the data in detail, Lieutenant.  Were you able to find any intact tissue specimens?"

"According to our scans there were traces of what might be DNA analogs in the structure, however it was severely degraded.  The radiation hampered the transporters so we were unable to retrieve a sample.  We do know it was carbon-based and triple helix based."

Riker noticed that the Admiral's eyes nearly budged out. "Triple helix?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he confirmed.

***

"Doctor?"

"I'm already on it," the Doctor said.  "I have to do a comparison with the database, but I understand your suspicions."

"What are you referring to?" Adama asked.  

"There were a group of aliens we ran into in the Delta quadrant.  They were called Species 8472 by the Borg."

"The Admiral is correct," the Doctor said.  "Their genetic coding was the most complex I've ever seen.  And they it had a triple helix configuration not unlike the data I'm going over.  It's not exact but even examining this degraded material I can see similarities in the coding sequencing.  However it's not conclusive."  He frowned for a moment.  "I see an error in the analysis. The sample may not originate from a carbon-based life form at all.  But if it is, then this specimen does not come from species 8472."

"We know that they were able to mimic humanity in order to pass Starfleet medical tests, including imitating carbon-based characteristics.  It could be species 8472, or an offshoot."

"Possibly," he answered. But he sounded skeptical.  "I'll know more soon when I perform a detailed analysis of the data."  

"I don't understand," Apollo said. Looking around it was obvious that few others did either.  "I thought that the triple helix complex would be relatively common given all of the various species in the galaxy."

"It's not as common as you might imagine," the Doctor responded.  "One of the great mysteries in carbon-based life forms is the fact that diploidization occurs in the first place.  For many years, scientists have believed that vertebrate genomes were degenerate polyploids.  These polyploids convert into diploids-characteristic of the double helix structure, or tetraploidy for that fact.  The diploids and tetraploids are common genome configurations in the DNA of our galaxy.  With relatively minor changes both are stable, but the triploid configuration is not.  I find it hard to believe that Species 8472 would be behind all this.  I understand their hatred of the Borg and their initial fears about us, but this doesn't make sense.   We left on fairly good terms with them.  The Sinhindrea have been around for a very long time and 8472 wasn't aware of us until a few years ago."

"I agree, Doctor.  It may not be them but we need to be sure."   

"Understood."

"Is there enough data to reconstruct a model of this species?"

"I'm sorry," the doctor answered.  "There's not enough undegraded material to even begin to create a facsimile."

"I understand, but see what you can do," she said.  "Now, we have another problem.  Sela and her people and her shuttlecraft are missing."       

"The entire Romulan contingent is missing on _Voyager_?" asked a surprised Riker.  His love for the Romulans wasn't great, but he was shocked by their disappearance in what was considered very hostile territory. 

"Yes," said Commander Apollo.   That is no way that she could have left without us knowing it.  Furthermore, she had no reason to leave, especially now.  We strongly suspect that Q is involved."

"If he did, then why did he do it?"   

Janeway shrugged.  "Who knows why he does anything?  The point is, she's gone, we don't know where, Q won't respond, and we don't have time to look for them."  

***

Two days later:

The _Galactica _reached the edge of the swirling energy draining maelstrom some twenty minutes before the _Azetbur _and _Voyager_ joined her. That time was spent trying to determine the nature of the phenomenon in front of them. All three vessels, erring on the side of caution held station at one hundred thousand kilometers from the objective. 

"Glad to see you made it, Admiral," Commander Apollo said over the comms.

"Glad to be here, Commander," Kathryn Janeway responded with a smirk. "It seems as though the Imperixe didn't want to give us up."

"I know what you mean," Commander Apollo answered.  The _Galactica_ had taken a more circumvent route separating from _Voyager_ and _Azetbur_ in the hopes that the Imperixe would separate their forces.  The Battlestar powerplant used a form of transwarp drive, primitive by Borg standards, but upgraded by the Federation science.   The Colonial version of the transwarp coil exceeded the size of a standard Borg coil by four times, but it served the same purpose.  The two alpha quadrant vessels required periods of downtime in order to avoid damaging the first generation slipstream drives.  At the last of their three stops, the Imperixe attacked them.  

"I trust you explained it to them?" There was no love lost between those parasites and the Colonials. The battles between them established a bitterness that wouldn't soon go away." 

Admiral Kathryn Janeway shook her head in dismay. "I don't believe they're the type that listen very well. But they weren't very enthusiastic about following us. It must have something to do with this region of space," she added dryly. 

"I can understand why," Apollo answered. We have some prelims. Can you confirm our readings?"

***

USS _Voyager:_

"Admiral, please take a look at these readings," Annika Chakotay said. Coming from the former Borg, it sounded like more of an order than a request, but everyone was used to that by now. The flat vocal tone was a part of her personality now, and that would never change.

The region of space shimmered with intense energy. Preliminary sensor scans from all three ships came back inconclusive. Intensive scans were now being performed.

To the naked eye, the barrier shimmered, pulsating like a living thing. Hundreds of colors flowed within the barrier like rivers of water, something that had increased since the ships had taken up station-keeping. 

"Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"Yes," Annika answered. "The twelfth power energy signature is indicative of V'ger's activity in the sector. The Borg have attempted to gain access through the barrier for decades now, without success. The barrier rejects all energy waves, including sensor sweeps."

"Yet, we are scanning it," Tuvok stated with his usual Vulcan calm.

"Yes," the ex-Borg, Seven of nine responded in a somewhat irritated manner. "We are. I believe it is because the children are allowing us to."

"That's what I thought also," Janeway said. "They're curious about us." And this was exactly what she was counting on. Their curiosity would allow them to hesitate enough so that first contact could be possible.

"Is there anything on the detailed scans?"

"The details are coming in now," Commander Data said. 

As she forced herself to be patient the Admiral waited and watched Commander Data carefully. For the life of her Janeway thought the android was doing a perfect imitation of a person deep in thought. 

Commander Data finished his analysis; he turned to give his full attention to the Admiral and the Captain. "This area of space is in a state of trans-dimensional flux," she said. "It is being constantly reconfigured with no discernible pattern and as a result, subspace travel has been rendered impossible by any means we are currently aware of. Slipstream and transwarp have been rendered inoperative." 

This was expected also. Q had told her about the barrier and its effects. "Are we safe from its effects at this distance?"

"At present we are one hundred thousand kilometers from the event horizon. At this distance, the barrier should not present a problem to our ships."

"Let's not press our luck," Chakotay said thoughtfully. "I want two class seven probes launched. Have them intersect the barrier."

***

**_Chapter 17_**

**_"V'ger"_**

The _Galactica:_

The crew of the _Galactica_ watched in anticipation as the Federation starship launched two probes directly at the phenomenon.  The probes began transmitting data continuously until they intersected something five hundred meters before contacting the actual barrier.  Both were destroyed. 

Apollo merely nodded.  "Frack.  A barrier protecting the barrier," he whispered.  Noting was ever easy.  Next to him, Adama and Starbuck read the data transmission from the probes.  

"This is amazing," Adama said as the scientist in him came to the fore.  This is a multimensional force.  It absorbs energy of all forms and seems quite impenetrable by anything we posses.  But I don't understand.  We should not be able to use our scanners."

"Maybe it wants us to scan it."

The comment had caught his attention.  "You're speaking about it as if it were alive," Adama responded.  "With everything that's going on, I wouldn't doubt it for a micron. Look at what we're dealing with."

"Well, let's see what _Voyager_ does."

***

USS V_oyager_:

"Maybe it's more than curiosity working here. Maybe it is an invitation," Janeway said as she though about the implications. Open a channel and configure it using the same parameters used by the original _Enterprise_ to communicate with V'ger."

"Aye, Ma'am."

"What do you think, Captain?"

"It certainly is possible."

"It's ready, Admiral."

"Good. This is Admiral Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship USS _Voyager_. We mean you no harm and will to communicate with you. Please respond."

Nothing.

"V'ger, we are from you planet or origin. We wish…"

The woman was cut off. The ship was suddenly enveloped with bright, withering light accompanied with a mind-numbing sound so loud that it threatened their sanity. The light penetrated everything. The laser-bright pillar of light it circled the bridge.

"It's a probe!" someone yelled trying to be heard over the din.

***

The _Galactica:_

The _Galactica_ was hit by an intense energy wave, centered on the bridge.  The energy wave penetrated everything, extensions from the probe whose appearance mimicked lightening flashed across instrumentation, dissecting and analyzing everything it touched.  Finally, it structured itself into an elongated band of pure white light and sound.  It was energy in its purest form.  Everyone scrambled to get out of its way as it moved unimpeded past and through everything.

Then it stopped.  Undreamed of sound and fury bracketing the bridge now gave way to a soft gentle hum.  The light lessened, changing its form from a definitive band into a humanoid shape.

"Lords of Kobol," Adama, Starbuck and Apollo said in unision.

"Should we call for security?" Starbuck asked quietly, not wishing to antagonize the rapidly changing energy construct in front of them.

"No, no, no," Apollo stated emphatically.  "This is why we're here.  Let's observe it first and not make any hostile moves."  

The energy probed refined itself and began to walk around the bridge.  With each step, the light surrounding it lessened and the features became more distinct.   By the time it moved towards Adama, its shape had completed its transformation.  The construct was female-very, very female.

Every man on the bridge froze, riveted by the woman standing in front of them.  The image standing in front of them was a perfection of humanity.  Bright energy flashes caressed her body from head to toe, gently.  Her dark brown hair, a human trait, moved constantly as if blown by a gentle wind.  Her skin was a dark olive color, patterned after her obvious Deltan heritage. She was no child and if she had been human, then Adama would estimate her age to be about twenty to twenty-five yahrens of age.  

Adama really wasn't thinking about that at the moment.  As a man, her beauty nearly intoxicated him.  As an older male, he was able (just barely-he would never, ever tell his wife about this) to ignore the exquisite and completely naked form in front of him.  Instead, he concentrated on her eyes.  Life, knowledge and fire blazed within those eyes and in them he could perceive the foundations of the universe.  But there was an innocence and an intense curiosity present there also.  She wanted to know who they were.  He barely noticed the others around him. The other men in the room were still in a stupor and the women acted as though they couldn't see her. 

"Who are you?" Adama asked softly.  

Her eyes turned towards him and smiled for an instant, then turned away.  She bathed herself in light then suddenly stopped, turning as if to listen.  Adama observed her carefully as she broke into a wide grin. The entity's attention was drawn elsewhere and the crystal on his finger glowed softly.   

In his mind Adama heard the voice now so familiar to him.    

"She has never before talked to a star," the voice said.  "She is so young and her future is so bright.  The stuff of stars _are_ within her."

The woman turned once more to face Adama.  And as if remembering for the first time, she spoke out loud.  "_Why does the light speak to you?_" she whispered.  

The sound of the woman's voice made the old man tingle and the other males had begun to perspire.  This wasn't a probe as described by Admiral Kirk at their first encounter.  This was a living being in front of him.  "We have a commonality." He whispered back, not willing to endanger this first contact.  "Life in all of its forms is commonality."

"_But you are different.  We are different.  Your fire is so weak_."

_She's never seen someone old_ he realized.  "I am old and am close to the end of my time in this mortal plane.  But are we really so different?"  _Concentrate_ Adama reminded himself.  Her every move drove him to distraction.  

"_You are human_," she whispered. "_I am V'ger.  You created that which was V'ger_."

"We are related," he said.  "But I am not the creator.  Life comes from life and the Creator of All, has brought forth a wonder.  We, humanity and others who share similar values have come together to find you.  We wish to establish a relationship with you."

"_You wish to join V'ger?"_ she asked.  _"You_ _wish to become part of V'ger?"_

"We wish to learn from you, to share with you.  We have much to offer."

_"V'ger knows everything, human_."

The wizened old Commander looked at her dubiously.  "But do you understand it?  Can you really appreciate what you know?"  Impulsively, he reached out and touched her hand. The shock of the contact staggered them both as energy flowed back and forth between them.  

The female entity stepped back, stunned at the sensation. "_A human touch…so much_."

Adama quickly recovered from his near heart attack. "Humanity does not need to join you to be a part of you.  We of the community are diverse and that diversity gives us strength.  It protects us and those we care for and love.  This is why we came.  There is a great danger you must be aware of."

The V'ger female listened quietly, completely entranced by his presence now and she reached out to touch him once more-

-Then stopped cold. 

***

USS _Voyager:_

On _Voyager_, the other probe touched and explored everything and everyone finally centering on one person.

"Annika!" her husband screamed as the probe intensified its scan of her. 

She was paralyzed by the power of the probe analyzing her. Then the probe vanished as suddenly as it appeared, leaving the woman on the floor in a complete daze. Outside, the barrier was changing, colors flashed and ran into one another. There was a swirling vortex forming within the barrier and that swirl slowly increased in size.

Everyone heard a voice, powerful enough to shake _Voyager._ It was like the sound of an old man voice mixed with that of a young teenager. The sound contained within it an ancient wisdom mixed with unabridged hostility and contempt. 

**_"BORG!"_**

"V'ger wait!" Janeway yelled.  "Tuvok, transmit the code!" 

"Communications have been cut, Admiral."

*** 

The _Galactica:_

The entity stared at President Adama and the man blanched.  Her demeanor had changed from excitement to unbridled sadness.

"You service them," she whispered.  "Why would humanity serve the Borg?"  As she spoke, her form began to slowly dissipate. 

_It was Annika, _he thought furiously_.  This being thought that she was still Borg_.  "It's not true.  She is no longer part of the Collective."  Desperate, he tried explaining to the rapidly intensifying light.   "She is a part of us now, not the Borg."

_"My other has seen the Borg,"_ a voice whispered in the breeze ignoring what he had just said.  It carried with it a sense of profound sadness.  _"It was on a human ship.  One like the Kirk unit controlled.  _The look in her eyes nearly tore Adama apart.  It was as if hope had suddenly ceased to exist._  "We are sorry."    _

The light faded.  Outside, the energy sphere began to swirl. 

"Positive shields now! 

***

USS _Voyager_:

"Emergency reverse," Chakotay yelled. "Tom, get us away from here!"

All three ships rumbled as gravity generated from the swirling apex began pulling them forward.

Lieutenant Paris was already complying before he spoke. "Sir, something is preventing us from moving. We can't create a warpfield."

_Voyager_ rumbled once more as the warp engines strained to break the grip of whatever was holding them. Nearby the _Galactica's_ main engines were powering up as it struggled to break free of the same force that held _Voyager_ and _Azebur_ in its grip.

"It's no good. We're being pulled towards it. Everyone brace for impact!" Janeway yelled.

***

The _Galactica:_

_"All engines full reverse!"_

"What's got us?" Apollo demanded.   The bridge lights dimmed as the _Galactica _struggled against the incredible pull against whatever unknown force that was being directed at it.

"I'm not sure," Oshella said quickly.  Her hands were flying across the console as she tried to identify the energy force.  "It's a graviton based but that's all I can tell, right now."

Despite the massive engines attempting to break free of the deadly grip, the Battlestar _Galactica _continued to be pulled towards the event horizon.  

"Lords of Kobol!  Hit emergency alert!" Starbuck yelled. "Everyone, brace for impact!" 

***

_Voyager:_

The expected impact never happened.  Instead, all three ships collided with the center of swirling matrix-and continued to travel deeper and deeper into the phenomenon. 

"It's like a wormhole," Paris yelled. In the view screen was an image of physics gone mad. To him it looked like a quantum slipstream passage mixed with colored lights and a rippling effect that made the whole thing surreal. 

The ships moved faster now and the inertial compensators barely kept up with the ever increasing strain. It felt as if they were being slowly stretched to death as subspace distortions ravaged the vessels and the crews inside. 

"The structural integrity shield can not handle the stress," Tuvok said. The words came out slowly as if time were being stretched as well. "The strain is too great!"

"Reroute all available power to the shields!" 

"It's not enough," Tuvok announced. "We will lose shields in…"

The terrifying journey abruptly ceased as quickly as it had begun. The relief was palpable. 

"All stop."

"Aye, Sir. Answering all stop."

"Shields are firming up," said Worf who somehow still maintained a standing position at tactical. "Systems are coming back online."

"Confirmed." 

"What's the status of the ship?" Chakotay asked.

"Ship's status seems to be okay. No reports of serious injuries."

"How's Annika?" 

Dazed from the experience she attempted to get up even while her husband tried in vain to keep here from doing so. "Shaken, but I will recover."

"Medical to the bridge," Chakotay ordered.

***

To be continued


	17. Chapter 18

_ Thanks to Wolfius and Major Diarrhia for their marvelous input in this chapter_.

Notes for the scientists among you: _Isoton: A unit of mass measurement roughly equal in strength to a megaton blast: Kilometers and standard units of measurements are used here by the Sinhindrea are close approximation and for our convenience only and are not accurately translated for the Sinhindrea. Colonial measurements are being used here as well. _

_QSD is quantum slipstream drive which has been calculated to allow a Federation vessel to travel at the velocity of 0.63 light-years/second. _

_QS is described thusly: …it is not warp but a new method called "quantum slipstream". An accidental jumpstart and research into the drive gives the following explanation: quantum energies from a quantum reactor in Engineering are funneled to the main deflector array, which then opens up a "quantum slipstream" in "slipstream space", a non-subspace dimension where incredible velocities can be attained. You cannot "see" truespace while in slipstream. You must orient your ship in the proper three-dimensional axis position, then activate the drive and time how long you want to travel before dropping out. You do not have to worry about local stars and gravity wells, since you are not in truespace, unlike warp drive. The ship moves by manipulating the quantum energy field and using their impulse engines._

_There is a lot more but this covers the extreme basics…_

I SERIOUSLY RECOMMENDT THAT YOU READ "Those Who Stand" TO GET THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS STORY.

_On with the story in a chapter I like to call…_

**Infinite Diversity Between the Candle and the Star**

**_Chapter_**** _18_**

**_"The Other Side of the Coin"_**

**_(The Armageddon Conflict:) _**

"That could have gone better," Paris mumbled. He was embarrassed having lost his lunch. Fortunately he wasn't alone as the smell attested to. "I guess that his equivalent of saying 'go away'," he managed to say.

The Admiral was recovering herself. It _had_ been a rough ride. "Mr. Data, where are we?"

"We are located near the southern edge of the Beta quadrant, sixty-five thousand, four hundred and six point three two light years from our previous position. The coordinates are as follows…"

Despite how he felt, Chakotay shook his head and nearly started laughing. As for Tuvok, he actually shrugged. Paris was smiling hysterically and even Seven allowed herself a slight grin. As for her part, Kathryn felt a headache coming on. If the situation hadn't been so grim, she too would have found herself caught up in the moment. The other _Voyager _crewmembers looked at the group, confused.

"You had to be there for seven years, "Paris managed to choke out. _'Oh, Harry,' _he thought. _'I wish you were here. You would be having a fit right now.'_

In engineering, B'Elanna was on the comms, trying to find out exactly what had just happened.

"We're on the other side of the Beta quadrant. Details later, Chief," Chakotay said. "Yellow alert!"

Janeway agreed completely. She knew exactly where they were; the worst place they could ever be in. Even the Borg avoided this area of space. The only good part of this entire journey was that there were several subspace conduits, created by V'ger that would allow them safe passage back to their space. The problem was getting past the local neighbors.

"We're being hailed, Admiral."

"Onscreen," she ordered and on the viewer, she saw Adama's stern face.

"Are you all alright? Is the ship damaged?"

"We were bounced around a bit, but there were no causalities," Janeway responded. "Evidently our visitor wasn't pleased with us."

"Ours was," Adama answered and proceeded to give details. Janeway and those listening were shocked as the Colonial told them of the visit by a child of V'ger and her response to him.

"You had a conversation with one of V'ger's progeny," Janeway said, after a moment's thought. "You believe that the probe that visited us might have been a manifestation of another entity?"

"That is what I believe," confirmed Adama. "The energy probe that you experienced was in fact a living being."

Kathryn thought about that for a moment. "Interesting. I made the assumption that the probe was the same as the one which visited the _Enterprise__-A_."

"Things change, Admiral."

"Apparently. One more thing, Admiral," Adama said. "She is pregnant." That was another thing he noticed among all of the other distractions. And the implications were mind-boggling.

Kathryn's mouth nearly hit the floor. "We need to get back as soon as possible."

"I agree, Mr. President. It shouldn't be a problem. This area of space has several subspace intersecting avenues that will allow us to return." That was the reason why the Imperixe and the Sinhindrea were in conflict in the first place. The Children (if that's what they wanted to call them) had ringed their personal area of space with transit pockets. Those 'pockets' allowed ships to moved from one point to another, in both directions. But she had to admit that the phenomenon that placed them here was created especially for them. Yes, they could get back, then they'd try again. First they had to get past the neighbors and do it quickly. They were at the right place at the wrong time. This portion of the mission should have been second on the list. Dealing with V'ger should have been first, but fate apparently decried otherwise. It was either that or Q. However she dismissed that thought. As concerned as Q was he wouldn't have arranged this-she believed. This was a fortune of war at work here. Now the decision was hers to go back or continue forward.

"Inform the _Azetbur _that we are in extremely hostile space. According to our information..."

Captain Kagth was torn between elation and anger as he listened to the Federation Admiral explained exactly where they were. This wasn't part of his mission, but at the same time, the possibilities of encountering this new enemy were invigorating. The transit from the Beta quadrant to the edge of the galaxy provided his scientists with invaluable information on the nature of the universe and hints of new modes of travel that would allow his people years of study to properly exploit the discoveries that would result.

Despite the violence of the journey his ship was fine or so he had been led to believe. The first hint that something was wrong was when his engineered slammed his fists onto his computer terminal.

"Captain Kagth."

"What?" he growled.

"There is some force is interfering with the synchronic dilithium interactions. There is a point two percent energy drop in power."

"Correct it."

"I cannot, sir," he answered. "The shield around the dilithium chamber is being breech by some type of subspace emissions. I am trying to reconfigure the shields to block them as much as I can."

The captain grunted. "Tell me if there is a change." He turned to Yannsi. "Trace those transmissions."

"Yes, Captain." She frowned violently. "Sir, sensors have picked up something at extreme range coming in our direction. Size, fifteen hundred meters. Composition, unknown. Power-source unknown. The construct material is similar to that which was found by Riker."

_So_ _soon_. "Inform our allies."

The cloaked _Azetbur_ remained stationary as the massive vessel moved passed them at nearly one-half lightspeed. It was indeed huge, with almost no distinguishing features in the front other than several elongated protrusions of similar design one of which extended much further than the rest. There were no windows that they could observe. The ship's engine was something else entirely. It consisted of a large ball-like structure. It glowed with reddish-blue brilliance.

Sensors did not detect any subspace emissions. Yannsi and the engineers were speculating that the vessel used an as yet unidentified power-source. A type of transparent substance analogous to the fluidic polymer discovered earlier by Riker, encased the energy matrix. That, in turn, was protected by an energy field of considerable strength.

"Sir, the ship's energy field serves to re-enforce the structural integrity of the entire ship. Disrupt the field…"

"And the energy is released," Kagth finished. "Prepare for battle."

"Open a channel to _Voyager _and _Azetbur_ …This is Commander Apollo. Take no action. I want them to come to us. We're the biggest and I want them to think of us as the primary threat. Let's see what happens."

A female voice from _Voyager_ responded. "This is Species 6911," Annika said, "encountered by the Borg nearly a hundred years ago. Species 6911 is an aquatic, bio-cybernetic species of cephalopod origin who call themselves the Yonji Sinhindrea. These beings are telepathic, aggressive, predatory life-forms. Under the right conditions, they are cannibalistic. These creatures appear to be squid-like in structure when young. However, the adults are protected by a hardened shell-like structure giving them a more crustacean, crab-like appearance. The adults have three sets of eyes and the species continues to grow until they die, about six times the size and weight of an average human. Their natural environment is aquatic however they can exist in a variety of conditions, including space for short periods of time. Some of these creatures have built-in short-ranged teleportation circuitry and are able to generate cybernetic protrusions as needed. They are apex predators whose ferocity cannot be understated. The cephalopod's origins are unknown, but data suggests that they are ancient, on the order of millions of years older than many species present in the alpha quadrant."

"If they're that old, then they should be far more advance," Apollo said. "What chance would we have against something like that?" He couldn't help it, as John and Iblis flashed through his mind. They were advanced life-forms and man compared to them, were like insects.

Next to her, Chakotay frowned slightly at her attitude. Annika's look bordered on contempt even though she tried to not to show it. "Don't make the assumption that the older an organism is, the more evolved it is supposed to be. Many organisms do not evolve into higher lifeforms and many species change in ways that most would consider to be devolved, as Admiral Janeway and Lieutenant Paris can attest to."

The Admiral's face was stone-cold but Paris's face flushed deep red. During the first _Voyager's_ trek back to the Alpha quadrant, experimentation with transwarp drives caused Tom to 'evolve into a different life-form. It was more of a lateral move rather than a forward, eventually causing both Tom and Kathryn to change into an amphibian life-form. They had children and would have been happy together swimming in some slime-filled pond if Chakotay had left them alone. The Doctor was able reverse the transformation but since then, the word 'evolve' had an entirely new connotation for her and the others.

"These creatures," she continued, "have been bombed to the brink of extinction on multiple occasions and each time have returned stronger. At the time of the last encounter by the Borg, the territory of the Yonji Sinhindrea extended over six thousand light-years. I now estimate that their territory is in the range of approximately twelve thousand light years. All life within their sphere of influence has been exterminated or used in food production. They have destroyed thousands of species. Because of their biological drives to feed, reproduce in large numbers and their overall antagonism to anything not of their kind, they continue to destroy thousands more. During the Borg's initial encounters with Species 6911, they were unable to assimilate them. The nanites conflicted with the cybernetic implants and were neutralized. Borg defenses proved inadequate to defend against their weapons systems. The Sinhindrea derive power utilizing zero-point energy conversion."

"The same as _Voyager_?"

"In some ways, yes. The closest equivalent would be what used to be called the matter annihilation Hawkins's reactor."

The crew was very familiar with the process. Matter was crushed into a singularity and the singularity's event horizon split the zero point energy into Hawkins's radiation and as it dissolves this released energy. The smaller the event horizon, the greater the greater the event horizon's curvature and that resulted in a greater release of energy. The singularity couldn't be compressed too much or else the power release would become unmanageable. The glowing sphere located at the rear of the ship may be the energy conversion medium required to harness the energy output.

"That is quite possible, Admiral," Data said as he jumped into the conversation. "However there is another possibility that is consistent with the data we are receiving on those ships. I postulate that, the glow could be the result of a different process in which pulsed gravity generators create artificial, macromolecule-sized event horizons of limited duration. This improves the measure of safety by allowing only limited numbers of event horizons to be present at any given time. Adequate control measures would facilitate consistency in power maintenance and still produce this characteristic glow emanating from their ships.

Annika, deep in thought, didn't disagree. "This energy is very efficient but extremely volatile. Given the time constraints, the Borg were unable to adapt properly and given the fact that their primary objective was to secure the children, this area of space was not considered a priority for assimilation at that time."

Data continued. "Our multiphasic shields should resist multiple strikes, but I recommend that we do not, as you would say, press our luck. Their weapons output is the equivalent in strength to Species 8472."

A chill ran through Apollo's body. "Understood. Helm, move us forward. Open a channel to the incomings."

"Channel opened."

"This is Commander Apollo of the Battlestar _Galactica_. We mean you no harm, but we request that you halt your advance."

The ship continued to move towards the Colonial vessel. The massive energy containment unit began to increase in brightness."

"No response."

"It's powering up. I'm detecting an energy buildup."

"Positive shields now. Energy shields double front." The Colonial ship's re-enforced ablative doors, closed over the twenty-foot high-foot transparent aluminum windows.

"Commander, another ship has just transited into normal space. There wasn't a warp signature, or anything I am familiar with. We're analyzing it now."

A second ship, identical to the first one had entered the sector and quickly joined the first ship. Neither had fired yet, but they did continue to close on their primary target.

"Reverse engines. Move us away matching their speed. Activate secondary weapons. Hold primary weapons on standby."

"Secondaries?" the gunnery officer asked even as he finished the procedure.

"You heard the order."

"Ready."

"Commander, we're getting a signal."

"Put it on the main viewer."

Admiral Janeway unconsciously backed away from the screen. The incoming communication screamed horror. The image onscreen was utterly terrifying. The creature was horrifying on a primal level not even the Borg could match. It was a dynamic, visceral feeling, touching the primitive part of humanity.

"They want to know where the _Galactica_ comes from," Commander Tuvok announced. "They are demanding that the _Galactica_ power down and surrender. Commander Apollo has politely declined their offer. Admiral, the two vessels are targeting the _Galactica_. Shall we intervene, Admiral? Admiral?"

Admiral Kathryn Janeway found herself in her ready-room, completely cut off from the rest of her crew. Around her everything seemed frozen and because it was such a familiar feeling, she understood exactly what was happening.

"Q", she said. He always picked the wrong time to visit. "Your timing couldn't be worse."

"Au contraire, my lovely Kate," responded a voice. "My timing is perfect."

She heard his voice before that familiar face appeared in front of her. "Q, this isn't a good time for another one of your impromptu conversations."

"I disagree," he countered. He was dressed in a Starfleet Admiral's uniform, even though the cut wasn't exactly right. Somehow it looked more severe. "Those ships out there make it the perfect time. Remember the talk we had a few months ago? Well, it's time to continue that conversation, my dear. Your introduction to the children didn't go as expected and now you've been forced to attend to this matter sooner than either of us planned, although this may be for the best. I told you of the two _Enterprises_ that were lost in another universe and I told you of the price that was required in order for the Q to help you with the children."

Janeway wasn't listening. "We have to get back to V'ger. I have to convince them to talk to us. We can't allow the Cylons to get there before we can convince them of our sincerity. "

"Yes, Kate," said a surprisingly understanding Q. "Time is of the essence here; more so than you know. The galaxy is in danger, but there is another galaxy that is in more immediate danger and it's partly our fault. It this specific time and at this specific place, both of them are linked together. What happens to one will happen to the other.

"Please explain yourself, Q."

He sighed. Q hated appearing weak in front of mere humans. "Millions of years ago, or so the Vorlons claimed, they created a doorway that stretched from one universe to another. Think of it as their way of achieving enlightenment."

The Admiral. She remembered the name from a previous conversation she had with Q some months ago. "You mentioned the Vorlons before, but you didn't say who they were and couldn't find anything in the Federation database about them."

"That's because they don't exist in this universe, Kate. They were from another reality."

Kate smiled. "I understand. You and Quinn pushed those_ Enterprises _to their universe."

"Yes, one set at least, " he confirmed. "It was the best place to send them once their journey started. But before I get to them I want to explain about the Vorlons. These aliens, who are fairly advanced in their own rights, created an interdimensional doorway whose exit point is this galaxy. That was impressive to say the least, even if your primitive Federation has done it several times, in several different ways; much simpler ways, I might add."

"But I digress. Their experiment succeeded, but they came to the wrong place at the wrong time and allowed the Sinhindrea access to their universe. Those ships out there," he said, pointing in their general direction, "are vanguards to the most aggressive, death-loving race in this galaxy. And that is another thing that Iblis will be held accountable for. By instigating this war with the Cylons, he's caused the Alpha quadrant to be exposed to the Sinhindrea long before you were supposed to be. I introduced you to the Borg because it was the right time," He proudly proclaimed. "That exposure helped the Federation survive the Dominion war. But the Dominion war was simply that; a war. If the Federation had lost, Earth been destroyed and its people eliminated, life as a whole would have continued on. But the Cylons changed the equation. This war between you and the machines is an all or nothing fight. If the children choose not to interfere, if you win, it will take decades to recover. If the chrome-heads win, trillions will be lost. The Sinhindrea will come and the Cylon genocide will look like a minor star compared to a supernova. Again, the children are the key. These aliens were isolated and would have remained isolated for another hundred years except that now, the doorway is open to this other universe."

"Are the Sinhindrea attempting to transverse the gate?"

"No, they already have."

"Then why don't you simply close the doorway?"

"I can't," he answered. "The door has a chronometric failsafe placed there by John's people and my own. The doorway is always locked onto a specific time and place, in that other universe. It was done to insure their survival and the ultimate destruction of the Vorlon gate. The failsafe is what is causing you to experience small power drains in your engines.

"The fact that there was a weakness in the subspace ether helped a lot in the creation of the gate itself. So, in their infinite wisdom, the Vorlons made sure that the door to our dimension is always opened. But the main controls were located in their universe as a safeguard in case they discovered that 'The Well of Souls', a place they considered the foundation of all life, wasn't all it was cracked up to be. They wanted to become gods themselves. It didn't work out as well as they planned. When activated, the Vorlon gate exists in multi-dimensions, their home universe and this one. The one becomes two. However it took a little time, a few hundred years, in order for them to work out the bugs in the system. When they did, both sides became operational. The Powers in this universe ensured that the Sinhindrea would never develop a foothold there because a man named Sheridan would always be there to stop them. He is the cork in the bottle. But that changed when the _Enterprises _entered the picture. The gate was found by others and that universe changed forever."

"Quinn directed both ships there in an effort to ensure their survival, but by saving them we may have doomed that galaxy. He always was a little to merciful for his own good."

There was something about his voice…

She took a chance. "You miss Quinn, don't you," she said softly.

The entity's smile was whimsical. "He was the best of us," he answered. "He understood what life meant enough to give it up. I told before, he was my inspiration and his actions changed my existence. With his death, he taught me the meaning of life. I haven't forgotten his lesson. I want my son to enjoy the wonders of life; not the cold desolation of a once vibrant galaxy."

The Yonji have always been isolated from the main arms of the galaxy and that that is the only thing that has kept them in check," he continued changing the subject. "Their lightspeed system is as primitive as your warp drive. Therefore, they needed an escape route. And you know what they found."

Yes, she knew. Between the children's hyperspeed-junctions located all throughout this part of space and the interdimensional door, the creatures had the equivalent of a 'get out of jail card'. "I agreed to this and I will keep my promise," Janeway said. "But I want some assurances from you."

"I know what you're going to ask," he said raising a hand to halt further conversation. "I will make sure that the Cylons are kept occupied until your return, if you make it back. Iblis has entered that universe and has been up to his usual mischief. By keeping those walking waste containers off of your back, this is my way of returning that favor. My counterparts in that universe have no use whatsoever for lesser beings and are permanently mind-locked, dreaming of past successes while ignoring the present and the future. I spoke to them and it was like talking to a bunch of Pakleds on a bad day.Understand this Admiral, Picard, Sisko and the others cannot return to this reality without the most severe of consequences for them. Even with your information may not make any difference in the outcome of their fight for their galaxy. But it will give them time. And here's a word of advice. There's a man you should talk to. His name is Garibaldi. His motto is 'everybody lies'. Take that into consideration when you go there."

"Remember you time is limited. Where the Cylons are, the Borg are not far behind. The children are perfection and that is the sweetest thing in existence to them. Now, prepare yourselves for the adventure of a lifetime. I have faith in you. And don't get yourself killed. Jean-Luc would never forgive me."

"Yes Tuvok," she said shaking her head negatively. "No, we will not intervene unless necessary."

"Admiral, are you okay?" the Captain asked. "You seem distracted. "

"I was. My talks with Q have that effect on me," she answered. The characteristic eyebrow rose as he contemplated the implications. "He was here to give me a warning. What's the status of the _Galactica_?"

"It is still in reverse," Tuvok answered. "They are ignoring us completely. We do not appear to be a threat to them at this time."

"Evidently size appears to be significant to them," Annika stated, causing the bridged crew to smirk. Even Kathryn cracked a smile. Seven's sense of humor was improving.

"Admiral, the two vessels are accelerating. The _Galactica _is firing…it's a hit. The enemy's shields are holding."

"Enemy shields down by three percent, Commander."

On the bridge, Commander Apollo, Strike Commander Starbuck, Captain Athena, Lieutenant Commander Thomas Riker and President Adama, watched the viewer intently as bright blue disruptor beams hit the closest vessel, its energies splashing spectacularly off of their shields. The front protrusions of the Sinhindrea vessels began to glow malevolently and a moment later a plasma pulse erupted from both ships. The pulses hit the front shields of the Galactica and the ship shook slightly.

"No damage, shields are holding," Lexea said. "They hit us with a thirty megon blast."

There was a time when a blast of that magnitude (thirty isotons using Federation Measurements), would have vaporized the _Galactica._ Now, with her metaphasic shielding, she barely felt it. "Take them out." Apollo turned in time to see his father inhale sharply. Father?"

Seeing his son's distress he waved It off. "It's okay," he answered. I just have a visit from Amanda."

The Battlestar _Galactica_ ceased its retreat and powerful engines caused it to surge forward at nearly one half lightspeed. The secondary disruptors pounded the first ship who was now rethinking its pursuit strategy as the unknown ship aggressively vectored towards it.

The Sinhindrea had not encountered this sort of resistance in this region of space in nearly a thousand years. The sectors in this region of space were a barren wasteland, filled with hundreds of dead, ruined worlds. Attracted by unusual energy distortions characteristic of a high-energy warp signature, they had encountered something different, something that was considered a threat and they needed to find out from where the threat had originated. The readings from these alien ships were similar to the Imperixe located on the far side of the galaxy, but at much higher power ratings. And if there were true and could be confirmed, then the passageways would need to be monitored far more aggressively until a large enough force could be mounted to conquer that new territory.

Years ago, when the passageways were found, there was a consensus among the old ones. Half their race would travel though the hyper-shunts en masse to new territory and the others would continue to wait for the activation of the gate. Competition for resources and food would be minimized among the people. If the Imperixe were the strongest force in that part of the galaxy, then it was determined that nothing would stand in their path. The Imperixe were a powerful parasitic species however they would be swept away and the Yonji would spread. Only they were worthy of survival. But the preparation for invasion and migration took nearly a hundred years. They still weren't ready to move yet and now this powerful vessel defied them and the entities felt threatened. There had been few races powerful enough to resist them. The hated Kinsh were one that managed to successfully flee their own slaughter. The ones known as 'The Hand' were another, but they were believed to be extinct or somehow relocated to another space or reality. The Vorlons in that other universe were strong, but not strong enough to defend against a prepared Sinhindrea Clovien force. However, this was someone different, something new. This new enemy facing them was an unknown, something to be destroyed, its remains analyzed.

Pulse weaponry failed to penetrate the shielding of the strange vessel and now, that incredibly fast vessel was in turn scanning them. The enemy vessel was slowly, but surely wearing the Prime's shields down. Retuning pulse sensors failed to get any information on the ship other than general size and relative energy output. Active targeting failed to lock onto the enemy ship and the Leader required his weapons masters to use their enhanced telepathic bionetics to properly track the vessel. Concerned that its shields might soon collapse, it ordered a dedicated attack at what was considered the bridge of the strange vessel. Bright-red beams of plasmic disruption derived from other dimensional energy savaged the ship. The energy was somehow channeled away, reflected in a manner it had not seen before.

Its _other _began to fire its plasmic beam weapon as well. It missed twice a surprise, but scored on the third and forth attempt. Still the alien's protective shields held and now it had fired twelve rapidly moving, high-energy projectiles at the _other_. Its _other_ had no time to even begin to move out of the line of fire. The first four projectiles detonated against the _other's_ shields. They were made of antimatter, very much like Imperixe weapons but, far more powerful and the other's shields faltered for a moment. The next set of projectiles collapsed the shields allowing the last group to impact the _other._ Antimatter interacted with event-horizon energy and the ship exploded with sufficient power to vaporize a small moon. Not even a Vorlon destroyer could have stopped a _Clovien_ destroyer that easily while continually wearing down its shields. Its people sent the call for reinforcements and transmitted as much information on this new ship as was available. Not wishing to be destroyed, the _First_ attempted to create a hyperspace window, but enemy fire kept it from generating the hyperspace field. Desperate and furious that its _other _was so easily destroyed by this enemy, it released all of its power in a single concentrated blast…

For a ship its size, the Colonial warship was as fast and nearly as graceful as a _Galaxy_ class vessel. The improvements in energy production, offensive and defensive armaments, made it one of the most powerful vessels in the Alpha quadrant. Accelerating to three quarters speed, it dodged the enemy fire and aimed itself directly for the surviving warship. The Sinhindrea Capital destroyer turned and prepared for an emergency hyperspace jump.

It did so a moment too late as the _Galactica's_ main guns fired, eviscerating it. It sailed through the remains of the Sinhindrea continuing to fire until there was nothing left.

"We have now announced our presence to this part of the galaxy," Commander Apollo said sarcastically.

President Adama inhaled sharply. "Yes and now that we're here it appears that our choice has been taken away from us." Amanda had made it clear to him.

Events had conspired to bring them here and she had sworn that neither the Q nor any other had manipulated the situation. Evidently, the Universe needed them here at this time and place more than they needed to be in contact with the children. Adama had been wary of her somewhat nebulous explanation, but there was something about the young Q that gave him pause. He didn't understand it but it was as though she was in touch with something higher than the Q. Apparently she didn't understand it herself but he could feel that connection within her. She was at the edge of discovering something profound, something the others weren't aware of.

"We have to go. These are the coordinates."

Starbuck looked perplexed. "This places us deeper into their territory. Shouldn't we be going in the opposite direction?"

The President only smiled at that comment. Some things never changed and Starbuck was one of them. The man knew better but he had to say something. "One hundred, thirty-three centons using transwarp. We need this organized to the micron if we are to succeed."

_Voyager _and _Azetbur _followed behind the _Galactica_ as it accelerated to warp nine.

"It's time," Janeway told the crew of _Voyager._ "You've all understood the purpose of this mission. We are to contact the Children of V'ger and to warn them of the threat the Cylon Empire posed to them. That, I'm sorry to say is still our mission. However there is another mission that you have not been told about. And this mission is just as important as our primary objective. I expect you all to do your best as I'm sure you will." She turned and looked at Chakotay.

He nodded in response. "Battlestations."

Both ships followed the _Galactica's_ wake she traversed into transwarp. To reach their destination they would travel five hundred two light years in a little over two hours.

**_The gateway. _**

It was always there; a weakness in the fabric of time and space. The Vorlons had always been in search of such a spatial phenomenon. They were exceedingly rare and even harder to utilize to their full potential. The search lasted a thousand years before they found one that could be useful to them. Many of the stable rifts had been found but all had been rejected or deemed unacceptable in one form or another. Each one of those rifts led to places that were unfit to sustain life in any form.

Only one had been acceptable and the Vorlons used all of their scientific theory, skills to explore and technology to explore the one rift. What they discovered was life in abundance. Psychic probes revealed varied life in such abundance that it exceeded anything that the Vorlons could imagine. It was a well-spring of life that literally erupted throughout this strange reality.

The possibility of entering this new reality soon became an obsession. The ancient species had genetically manipulated the younger races of their reality for tens of thousands of years. These races saw them as beings of light and many considered them gods. And after so many years of hearing this the Vorlons began to believe it themselves. This new reality so fresh and untainted, teeming with life, offered them the chance to modify that reality to their own specific needs-without interference. In essence, after they began to shape this new universe, bending it to their will, they would become the gods everyone thought they were. Philosophically, they would storm the gates of heaven and become gods themselves.

The Vorlon race was able to create a permanent gap between their universe and the other. They devised a small device that was sent through the rift. Following its programming, it collected matter and energy unto itself and began to grow; creating a structure that eventually surrounded the rift. This structure became the first part of what would be known the trans-dimensional Vorlon gate. The process itself took hundreds of years and meanwhile, the Vorlons put that time to good use. They developed the master half of the doorway on their own side. Ultimately they succeeded in the great endeavor. However their calculations were wrong. There was no wellspring there.

Yes, there was an abundance of life on the other side. But it was death that came to meet them. The Vorlons had been chased from the other universe a millions years ago-their time. But only thirty thousand years had passed for the Sinhindrea. And all the while, from their dark cities they watched and waited for the doorway to re-open.

Unnoticed by both species, several of the great Powers had intervened. They understood as the Vorlons had not, that the introduction of an invading species into a foreign environment usually turned out to be a bad thing. So they allowed the Sinhindrea to repel the Vorlons with prejudice as if they were some unwanted pests. But even the Great Powers had miscalculated. The Sinhindrea entered the other universe, thereby causing the exact same problem the Powers wanted to avoid. The Sinhindrea were defeated by the Vorlons after a terrible war, but the gate on the Sinhindrea remained active.

Therefore, Quinn of the Q, John of the Del Fray, the Metrons, and a few others came together to devise a solution to keep the problem to a minimum without directly intervening. They locked the doorway to a specific time and place so when the gateway opened again it would be destroyed. It was a fool-proof plan.

The temporal war made a fool of the fool-proof plan. Even the Great Powers were affected to some extent. Time was being influenced and changed in such ways that the Powers couldn't dare try anything. And now those temporal disturbances had allowed an infection free reign, forever altering both realities.

That would not be allowed to continue unchecked.

"Battlestations."

The exploratory group exited transwarp three hundred million kilometers from their targeted objective. Their intentions were to get through the gate and if necessary, destroy any opposition that attempted to impede them. It was a simple enough plan in theory. However, reality had other plans.

As soon as they entered warp, they were buffeted by waves of temporal energy emanating from the gate. The rift itself radiated enormous amounts of energy across the entire spectrum as it continually fought against its captor.

Tuvok, his voice as passive as ever proceeded to give an ongoing analysis as to what they were actually seeing. "The interspatial rift is collapsing on itself," he said. "The energy required to maintain its effectiveness is not sufficient to maintain the rift in its current configuration. I believe that the gate has been somehow modified to allow the increase of a larger number of ships passage than was originally intended."

Next to him, Annika agreed. "The modifications to the gateway on this side, have destabilized the structure. In six years, the rift will return to its normal state and the gate will destroy itself."

Captain Chakotay heard everything but his attention was elsewhere. As was Janeway's. Waiting patiently in line to pass through the gate were nearly three thousand Yonji ships of various kinds. Most were designated as transports but nearly a fourth of them were warships. But all of them had the characteristic glowing, ball-like constructs and positioned as they were, they resembled a delicate pearl necklace that stretched into infinity.

"It's colonization," he whispered. "It's not important to them if they can't bet back. It's a one-way trip for them. They're like Terran bees in that respect. If the colony gets too big then it will split off and relocate to an area were there is less competition and more resources."

"Exactly," the Admiral said. "They need more room to spread out since they've destroyed everything within reach. The intention is to continue on the other side what they've done here. Thousands of races are being attacked and destroyed by these aliens and there's nothing we can do about it." That admission was fraught with despair. As long as the Federation was at war with the Cylon Empire, exploration and any possibility of helping the races in this part of the galaxy were non-existent. But if the Alpha quadrant survived this war then they would have a little time to prepare for the Sinhindrea remaining this galaxy. What she had been told by Q about this race had all the makings of another bloodbath heading straight for the Alpha quadrant.

"But we can stop them from spreading to this other universe," the ex-marquis officer announced coldly.

"If the plan works, yes."

"We'll make it work." He turned towards Commander Worf. Ready the photon and quantum torpedoes, maximum yield."

"Aye, Sir," Worf said, trying to keep from smiling. He couldn't wait to see how these aliens would respond to their weapons. The photon torpedoes were much more powerful than those of ten years ago, before the Dominion war began. Even the torpedoes used against the Borg weren't in this class. And personally, he loathed these creatures.

"Have they spotted us?" Paris asked.

They do not appear to have subspace sensors but, our exiting from transwarp was detected by their sensors. That had the disadvantage of having a much higher energy profile. Therefore, to answer the question, I do not believe so," Tuvok answered.

_Good enough._ "Commander Worf, lock onto the nearest warship and prepare to fire."

"Yes, Sir."

A collective sense of utter shock echoed through the entire Sinhindrea shared consciousness when the first torpedoes and missiles hit. They were aware that invaders had violated their territories, but that was more than five hundred light-years away. The commonality knew that their fellow Clovien had died at the hands of an unknown enemy ship. But this same ship had appeared again in the middle of secured space, less than three standard units later. The commonality was enraged and terrified, a typical reaction from their species who understood only two viewpoints when it came to the non-people; the first being 'that which does not threaten is to be eaten' and the other 'that which exists is to be hated and destroyed'. The non-people were either food or a waste of life. Only the Sinhindrea were worthy of life and they pursued that philosophy as their religion. They attacked others and were never the ones who were attacked. And in the collective memory of the Clovien there had never been a surprise attack in their most secured territory, until now.

The capital ships closest to the gate, waiting in line for their turn to enter, never even had time to activate their defensive shields as ninety six photon and quantum torpedoes blew them to shreds. And as they exploded, their own energies added to the destruction of many of the transports and civilian craft too slow to evacuate the area. Six warships were destroyed outright, along with forty-six transports. Seven of the Sinhindrea Clovien were severely damaged and drifting and when their integrity fields failed, they would die.

The violence of the attack shocked them into retaliatory action. Already several of their large ships were converging and locked onto the largest enemy warship and would destroy the aggressor within seconds of engagement. The two smaller vessels were considered minor nuisances by the Clovien-for all of fifteen seconds. Again, a firestorm of those deadly projectiles sought out and slammed into their shields, overwhelming some defenses and sending more of the people to their deaths. And the larger ship had unleashed small fighters and larger combat vessels. A war had begun in their own backyard and they had been unprepared.

A Clovien lord screamed its defiance and ordered its pride to defend their territory. Four hundred fighters and twenty of the capitals prepared to converge on the enemy.

The Battlestar _Galactica _was designed as a multipurpose warship capable of defending a planet from Cylon forces including Basestars. It also excelled as an orbital-based destroyer. Aeriana-laced solonite missiles targeted and destroyed orbital platforms that were ironically, facing the gate, in order to protect the Sinhindrea from threats originating from inside the passageway. The entire defense grid was down before they could even begin to react. Now all the _Galactica _had to do was control the gateway for eight minutes.

Both the UFP _Sabers_ and Colonial _Adders_ had been deployed and were laying down long distance covering fire, adding their support to _Voyager_ and _Azetbur_. Five of the smaller _Cobras_ launched and were now firing mini-photons at the swarm of fighters coming at them. The _Galactica's_ twin pulse disrupter cannons at a rate of sixty shots per second were firing as well and within moments it was clear that the Sinhindrea were trying to stay clear of her. There was too much confusion, the transports were preventing the Sinhindrea from getting clear shots. However, a group of squid-shaped fighters had broken off and were trying to flank them from behind the gate.

"Acknowledged _Galactica_." Boxey inhaled quickly, swallowed and started shouting orders. This is _Cobra_ one. We're heading to the rear of the gate. Fighters are coming in quick. _Cobras_ Thirteen and Twelve, you're with me. The rest are with the _Rantoul_ whose our backup support."

Everyone beeped in acknowledgment. Quickly they reached the rear and ran into a wall of enemy plasmic fire.

"Evasives!" Boxey screamed even as _Cobra_ Twelve ran right into an enemy burst.

The blast was deflected but its shields were down by fifty percent. The wounded _Cobra _returned fire with its enhanced disruptors, burn through the small vessel's shields and gutted it. The Sinhindrea fighters, of two sizes, three of the larger ones being the size of a _Saber_, rushed in, firing at the madly jinxing _Cobras _and _Saber_. Phasers and disruptor fire mixed it up with energy pulses. One of the larger Sinhindrea fighters targeted _Cobra _Twelve, in the process of disengaging from several of the smaller fighters, and fired a series of shots before _Cobra_ Ten could provide adequate cover. The ship spun rapidly, then underwent a series of explosions as ammunition cooked off, aiding to its destruction.

The_ Rantoul_ and _Cobra_ six attacked several fighters while _Cobra_ One and Thirteen went after the larger fighter that had destroyed _Cobra_ Twelve.

"This is an aggressive one," Boxey said coldly over the comms. That ship had rammed its way through two of its own in order to get a clear shot at Twelve. "Simple plan. We track him down. We kill him."

"Right beside you, Captain," Joliet answered. She was at his three o'clock position and it was her ship that fired first.

Surprisingly, she used her beam weapons at one-half power. Several short bursts hit their targets but failed to penetrate the shields. Immediately the fighter targeted her ship and was promptly reduced to ashes by _Cobra_ One which it had foolishly ignored in favor of an easier target. Now, with the flanking attack shattered, the allied survivors were headed back to the _Galactica_ with the _Rantoul _covering their backs.

"That was incredibly stupid, Lieutenant," her commander said.

She could tell that he was deciding whether to ground her or not for that little stunt. "I knew that the enemy would come after me, Sir. They're celephodiate in origin and their species always attack weaker aquatics first. The pilot followed its instinct, Sir."

"Good thinking, Lieutenant," Boxey growled. "Please be aware that when we return to the _Galactica_, I'm going to hurt you."

"Yes, Captain," she gulped.

The Sinhindrea were making a concentrated push against the unknown ships. Gone now was any concern for the transports; protection of the gate was now their primary concern. Sinhindrea Cloviens blew apart their own ships in an effort to destroy their tormentors. Another solid wall of enemy projectiles penetrated shields and ripped apart more of the defender's people. Furious, the Sinhindrea military found that only the strongest of their protective shielding was effective against this new enemy.

The Clovien Lord's fury caused the others in his command to shrink back. Their own arrogance had worked against them. The device that enhanced their telepathy was effective only on the other side of the gate, useless in this situation. Now these creatures were about to blow up the gate and the only thing that surprised it was that the doorway hadn't yet been destroyed.

By his will, the order was given. The gate was not to be destroyed. Everything else was expendable.

"They are coming, Commander," Lexea announced. "In seven centons, they're going to be all over us." Her tactical screens had targeted twenty three of the Sinhindrea warships bearing down on them at nearly one quarter lightspeed. Dozens of damaged transports and freighters were being deliberately targeted and blown apart so that they could get clear shots at the _Galactica_ and the others.

"They're too late," Starbuck said. "All two hundred fifty six mines have been released. Let them chew on that."

Now released, the mines cloaked, then moved to their assigned stations in front of the _Galactica_ and others. They began replicating, doubling every fifteen seconds. The cloaked mines were first used at DS9 during the Dominion war to protect the Bajoran wormhole. It had been highly successful and since then there had been modifications. These particular mines were transphasic and each contained sixty-five isoton warheads. The replicators were using energy leeched from the gate itself in order to reproduce and they would continue to reproduce until they encircled the entire structure. Once completed nothing would be able to come any closer than three thousand kilometers of gateway.

"Four thousand, ninety-six mines."

The _Azetbur_ and _Voyager_ completed their final attack pattern and headed for the gate. The mines, configured to recognize both ships and their subspace coded signals navigated out of the way, then closed the gap.

"Thirty-seven thousand, sixty-eight mines."

"They've destroyed their own ships sir. They're coming in force." A veritable wall of enemy warships were converging on their position. "We will not be able to hold them."

"Frack."

"Admiral, there are two hundred ninety-six thousand, five hundred forty-four mines active," Tuvok said. "Two more replications and the structure will be completely secured."

"Captain Chakotay, Commander Apollo is online."

On screen."

The viewscreen changed from the fleet of Sinhindrea vessels closing in on them to the activated. "We're activating the mines in thirty seconds. We're not following you through the gate. There are too many of them. The _Galactica _will act as a diversion to give you enough time to complete the transit. The mines will cover your back. Go now," he ordered. "Our window is closing fast. Take the_ Cobra's_ and the _Rantoul_ with you. We don't have the time to pick them up." Already the Battlestar was moving forward away from the gate. "We're heading back to the children. May the lords of Kobol protect you all."

There was no time for argument. Janeway almost said something but she withheld her comment. She merely nodded at Chakotay. ****

"Bring the _Cobras_ onboard and take us in. Mr. Paris Proceed towards the gate."

"Aye, Sir," Tom said after confirming with Commander Data for the merest instant before hitting the thrusters.

"Three of the _Cobras_ are docking now and the other is docking with the _Azetbur_. The procedure will be completed in thirty seconds."

"The _Galactica_ is almost out of the minefield," Annika said. "They're firing all of their weapons…impressive…they've gone to warp…mines are online and active."

Hundreds of small and medium sized fighter craft were converging on their position.

"Take us in."

The Clovien Lord's three sets of opticals watch in contempt as the large ship ran away. Whatever that species called humans were, he swore that it would be a reckoning one day. Telepath trackers, called the Clovien hunters, had their scent and passed it on to the others. None would ever forget it. These creatures were too alien to understand their thoughts with any clarity but several things had been made clear this day. As his ship hurdle towards the gate he thought about this encounter so that he would remember and pass it along to his progeny.

This species had somehow escaped the purging and that indicated that they were from the edge of Sinhindrea occupied territory or farther. The remaining races within their sphere of influence could never have developed enough power to resist the People as these aliens had. These things called humans were strong and their weapons could hurt the people. The associated with other lesser types like them. Together, they were an aggressive species with technology similar to the Imperixe and the ones known as the Borg. The mode of lightspeed propulsion was alien, but the telepath-hunters could still track them across the galaxy as necessary. There was more information, however it was not as much as it should have been. There were telepaths onboard all of their ships and their alien thought patterns interfered with the hunter's the abilities to acquire the needed information.

The People had made a mistake assuming that they were safe on their side of the gate. All of the defenses were designed to repel potential enemies from the other side. The enemy was sending two small ships to the other side for unclear reasons. They had the time and the resources to destroy the doorway but hadn't. It was possible that this was a recon mission of some sort but alien objectives were foreign to him and it didn't matter. In moments they would be trapped between his pursuit ships and the others on the other side. Then he would find out all they needed to know and then consum the survivors.

Fifty of the fighters containing the hot-blooded younglings dove towards the dimensional aperture with an excitement and determination that only the young could muster. A few seconds, later the Lord screamed as all of his fighters were vaporized in a series of explosions that shook his vessel. The second set of fighters trying to escape the same fate as their brethren had veered away from the gate. Several were destroyed outright and several more were destroyed by the multi-isoton shockwaves.

The other ships immediately halted their advances and the Lord ordered a light volley fire in the direction of the gate. He was rewarded with several large explosions two thousand kilometers from the gateway. Understanding dawned. There were mines of some sort, invisible to their instrumentation, guarding the gateway. He ordered a much larger volley to encompass the entire front of the gateway and was stunned by the result. Thousands of explosions were detected. Incapable of appreciating the enemy's tactics, the Lord could only seethe in hatred. He ordered one of his Cloviens forward and it approached the gate cautiously, shields to full power. The ship fired several burst at again was rewarded with multiple explosions in front of the doors aperture. Slowly, its commander hoping that the mines had been mostly cleared, moved forward.

The Lord hissed in terror as several mines which he could not detect converged on the ship, passed through the chip's defense shield as if it weren't there, attached themselves to his vessel and blew it and the crew into stray atoms. There were too many of them! It was impossible to have lain so many in such a short period of time. Therefore, the mines must be self-replicating. No ship could get within two thousand kilometers of the gate, three to be safe.

The Clovien Lord issued a command. These humans and their allies were to be found and full attention of the Sinhindrea were to be given to them. It would take time, years, tens of years, even hundreds of years, to find them, but the Sinhindrea had found a new, dangerous enemy to crush. Thousands upon thousands of their kind would hunt these aliens, who had touched a power beyond comprehension, down. They would teach these creatures that the People were a hunger beyond understanding and all were of one accord.

Kill them all.

When the USS_ Voyager _entered the swirling vortex, the first thing that struck the crew was the striking multitude of colors of reds, and whites with purple mixed in, slowly circling in a counterclockwise movement. The feeling of non-existence had enveloped them all for an instant as they passed through the event horizon. The ships were being pulled along by the energies and thrusters were nearly useless until they began to cross over.. Behind them sensors detected the first of the explosions as the pursuit vessels discovered the mine field.

As for Data, he was completely awed by the experience. And the bridge officers were performing a detain analysis of the inside of the dimensional generator. "The technology to create such a device exceeds anything that Federation sciences could reproduce. This device has established a stable wormhole that crosses the dimension between two universes. Dating of the artifact places it at approximately two billions years old."

"That is not to say that the device is in fact that old," Tuvok added. "However it does mean that the materials used, are."

"A logical assumption," Data countered. If he was miffed, as Janeway suspected he might be, she wasn't sure.

"I am also reading a very high level of chronitons and chronometric particles. This entire structure is in temporal flux.

"How long before we reach the exit?"

"Five minutes, twelve seconds."

"I want the mines deployed the moment our ships exit the event horizon. If they are aware of what happened to their friends on the other side of the doorway, it's going to be a rough trip. I want us at warp as soon as possible."

"Admiral, there's a force shield on the other side of the side. It appears to be one way that will allow us out of this structure.

"I guess that when we're ready to return we'll have to shoot our way back in. We'll worry about that later. All Weapons at ready. Target any Sinhindrea guardships that we encounter. I want all departments at the ready to scan this system as we go to warp. B'Elanna?

"Yes, Admiral."

"Go over the QSD once more before we activate. This universe's natural laws might not react kindly to it."

"Understood."

On the viewscreen, Janeway watched the huge Klingon explorer's weapons' array beginning to glow with power as its devastator class photon torpedo tubes powered up once more. The mines to be deployed from the _Azetbur_ weren't transphasic-the Federation had no intentions of giving them that technology!- but they had larger warheads and they were configured to aggressively chase their targets for a thousand Kilicams before returning to station.

"Get ready. Ten seconds."

For perhaps ten seconds, the Sinhindrea six guardships were confused by the sight of alien ships about to exit the Vorlon gateway. Alien ships exiting the gateway, wasn't that unusual. Several slave vessels had been used to transport food species instead of Sinhindrea freighters but these three ships were of unusual and unidentified configuration. Ten seconds after that, it didn't matter as those ships began firing on everything in the area. The small fighters stood no chance as they were hit by beams designed to destroy ships many times their size. Two of the sixteen hundred meter Clovien capitals, facing the opposite direction, detonated in a firestorm of destruction that temporality lit up the dark side of the planet known as Z'ha'dum. It looked quite unappealing to say the least.

"Mines deployed," Chakotay said. "Warp nine. Now."

The _Rantoul, Voyager_ and _Azetbur_ went to warp. Within an hour that side of the gate would be in for a very nasty surprise when they attempted to access the gateway.

Tuvok swooned slightly. "Captain. I…"

"Doctor to the Bridge!"

"No," Tuvok insisted. "It was a mind probe. Alien, very powerful. I could feel it trying to enter my mind. The gate on this side enhances their power. They know who we are. They know this ship is filled with humanity. Their raw hatred; emotions washing out everything else. They are afraid of us; targeting humans as a threat. Tracking us, like Selats on a blood hunt. They will never stop."

"They're hunting us telepathically?"

"Yes. I felt it on the side of the gate but not nearly as strong. They are aware of the Federation on the other side as well."

"The _Galactica _can do what needs to be done," Jane said with absolute confidence. They'll survive, do what needs to be done and warn the right people. Our problem is trying to find earth in this reality. We…"

"Intruder alert!" the computer announced. "Intruder alert."

On the bridge, a bright light slowly began into form a humanoid shape. "Interesting," a voice said. "You have never been here."

Armored security guards armed with phaser rifles targeted the humanoid shaped intruder. It appeared to be rather tall male with a strange jewel in the center of his forehead. "Do not be alarmed," he said lifting his hands in a gesture of peace.

"I'm Admiral Kathryn Janeway of the United Federation of Planets. Who are you and why are you on my ship?" Janeway demanded. "Are you an ascended being of some type?" She thought this was a Q equivalent. There were few beings that could appear in invited on a ship at high warp.

"Ascended?" he asked. "No, not as you understand the concept. I am more like the first being; the very first sentient lifeform in this universe. You might want to describe me as the eldest living being in this universe."

Chakotay halted the security guards as Janeway continued to talk to this stranger.

"You may call me Lorien," the alien said. "I lived on the planet that you've just left in such a hurry. It was my home for many years. But now, I have chosen to leave. I could no longer abide the death and destruction taking place there. And therefore have decided that the creatures you know as the Sinhindrea must be stopped. But I cannot do it alone."

Kathryn appraised this entity very carefully. "You could have left that planet anytime you wished. Why did you choose t leave now?"

Lorien simply smiled in acknowledgement. "A circle has been broken and a new one has taken its place," he said cryptically. "So, I waited for you and you came as I knew you would."

Mr. Lorien…"

"Just Lorien," he corrected.

"Maybe we can help one another. We're searching for a planet."

"I know what you are searching for; humans like yourself," he said. "You're searching for Earth. I know where it is," he told her. "In return for this information, I wish to travel with you. You humans are strange, an interesting species destined for great things and terrible destruction both in this universe and the other as well. You have the seeds of greatness in you. I hope that it has time to blossom."

"I also wish for you to take me to a place called _Babylon Five_," the entity continued. "There is someone I wish to see there. But you must hurry to Earth first. The Earth alliance is in trouble. Those who once controlled Z'ha'dum have made a request of the government there and were rejected. I fear that the Shadows will do something unfortunate to Earth out of their spite. Earth is needed in this fight as are so many other worlds," he said. He took a deep breath as though he were drinking in the entire vessel. "I will tell you the coordinates since you do not use jumpspace travel."

"Excuse me for a moment," Janeway said to the entity. "Mr. Paris please slow to warp three and keep an eye for any followers." She waved her finger to the Captain who followed her to the other side of the bridge.

Off to the side, Chakotay whispered to Kathryn. "Can we trust this entity? Our track records with them haven't been that great."

"I don't think we have a choice here," she answered. "We have no idea where Earth is and it would take too much time to find it on our own. But I think it will be okay. For some reason, I trust him. But I will be careful."

"Admiral?" It was B'Elanna. "We've got problems here. The QSD doesn't like this space at all. The simulations we've been running have not been promising. The Bedemite crystal configuration as it is now will not allow the quantum energy converter to generate a stable slipstream matrix. We're working on it now. So we're stuck with warp drive until we can deal with this."

"How long will it take?"

"Not long," she answered. "We're close to a solution now, but we will have to travel a lot slower."

"How much slower?" Chakotay asked.

"Only about point one five light years per second. And that's when we've run enough simulations and I'm satisfied we wouldn't blow up.

_Barely a crawl._ "Do what you can."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Both the Captain and the Admiral returned to the patiently waiting entity. "Lorien, we have a deal. Will you give us the coordinates to Earth?"

He paused for a second, the moved towards Data. His eyes seemed to look deep into the android. "Fascinating," he whispered. "Here are the coordinates you need."

"All stop," Chakotay ordered.

An hour later Lieutenant Torres and her engineering crew had completed the configuration changes and were now working with the Klingons to get their system aligned.

"I have slipstream drive up to point one eight light years per second," B'Elanna proudly announced. "I recommend we use it sparingly."

"Understood. Good work ,B'Elanna." She turned to commander Data. "How long using slipstream?"

"At this distance, twenty eight minutes, fifty-seven seconds."

"Inform Commander Riker on the_ Rantoul_ to follow us in and stay close. Tell Captain Kagth we're leaving in three minutes."

A half hour after the three ships had transitioned into slipstream, a distortion in space and time occurred. According to the crew of the _C-57D,_ it would be described as a deceleration event caused by a vessel exiting a hyperspace shunt. Two eight hundred meter long Sinhindrea heavy _corvette_ analogs popped into normal space. The Clovien hunters had scented their prey but the signals had stopped here, and abruptly, the telepathic scent all but disappeared. However the scent was just strong enough to point the way. The planet called Earth was located in that general direction. A recon force had been sent to Earth earlier and it was deemed a low-lever threat.

But things had changed. The weapons possessed by these creatures was unnerving. The discovery of the invisible minefield had been horrific. The Colony wasn't complete and now it was cut off. The captured Shadow had been in error. Its evaluation of the threat potential from those called humans was greater than the Shadows understood. The Minbari would have to wait. The cleansing was turning into a war of survival.

"Exiting slipstream, now."

Commander Riker breathed a sigh of relief. They were right on target. The solar system in this universe looked exactly like their own. Already, they were passing Neptune when suddenly communications picked up distress calls. _Voyager_ and _Azetbur_ picked up the emergency transmissions immediately. Nearby, dozens of distortions of some type appeared, with huge, lumbering ships exiting them heading towards Earth.

There was a battle going on. These 'Terran' ships were engaged with another enemy. The enemy ships were identified as the Drakh and the Terrans were having a very hard time of it. Actually they were being torn apart, piece by piece.

"This is President Clarke of Earth Allegiance. We are under attacked by the Drakh. All Earthforce vessels are ordered to Sol sector immediately. Repeat Earth is under attack. Immediate assistance is requested."

"This is Admiral Kathryn Janeway of the United Federation of Planets, responding to your distress calls. We will be there in two minutes."

A response was instantaneous. "This is Coronal Griffin of Earthforce. Did you say you were a Federation starship?"

"Yes," Janeway said. "Explanations can wait until later." She cut communications.

"Ready weapons," Chakotay ordered. "Target the large vessels near their moon."

"Captain, look." Annika's voice was filled with dread.

Cities could be seen burning from orbit. Several of the smaller Drakh ships, resembling balloons had broken through the defense grid and were spraying something into the atmosphere. EarthForce ships and the defense platforms had destroyed most of them but a few got through.

"A biological weapon," the Admiral murmured in disgust. Biologicals were among the most offensive of weapons-and the hardest to control. The crew was horrified as well.

Both the _Azetbur_ and _Rantoul_ had cloaked. They were about to introduce a whole new meaning in terror and it was time. As of this moment, the Prime Directive had been flung into the wind. Admiral Kathryn Janeway stood with Captain Chakotay by her side as she gave the order.

"All phasers and IMDs-fire!"

_To everyone thank-you very much for your comments and reviews. I am about to go on a break and will pick this up in September. I am not dropping off the map so I will be answering questions, etc as they come up. To all of you, thanks again and see you soon. Talk to ya people. Albert_


	18. Chapter 19

_Fast and dirty update as we slowly get back up to speed with 'The Search for V'ger". Please note that the previous chapter was continued in the "Those who stand" segment of the 'A Universe of change" series. Then, there is a portion in ATV as Voyager, Klingons and accompanied by a Minbari Sharlin (To the complete shock of the ATV people who are at war with the Minbari in that other universe) have traveled the transway and returned to their original universe. Voyager and the Klingons are returning to the area where the organic/ construct offspring of V'ger are located. The diplomatic Sharlin is now located at Earth admittedly freaking out but dealing._

_Complex? Yes. Sorry, I should not have mixed them like Marvel comics on steroids but what's done is done. This contains new material with some of the older stuff which allows new readers to catch up. The Cylons are strictly old-school with some changes. I have little tolerance for the new series and their grey levels of plots that stretch into infinity with no resolution. Please enjoy.  
_

_Will be re-edited later:_

_**Wildfire**_

_**By**_

_**Ash's Boomstick**_

_**A Ruination's War Story**_

_**Federation Front lines**_

_**Bajor B'hala System**_

_**Alpha Quadrant**_

The attack had been a simple one for the Wildfire squadron. While the majority of the ships attached to the Battlestar _Pegasus_ had headed for the Supply station inside Cylon occupied space the massive warship had dropped out of slipstream outside the Betazed system.

"All hands, we are going silent," Sheba announced into the communications link.

All across the _Pegasus_, systems began to shut down as power was cut. Running lights died as the new warp core installed by Starfleet engineers during the refit was taken offline. The ship's out sections went cold as the environmental systems were rerouted from the hull, and lastly all power emissions were cut and the ship went 'silent'.

The glow from planetary assault phasers and torpedo launchers died as they went to cold standby. Weapons systems across the ship reduced power and closed down cutting off any emissions that may give them away. With no subspace emissions, no electromagnetic radiation emanating from them the ship was all but invisible. The four Klingon warships accompanying the Colonials were doing the same as their cloaking devices were of less use to them using this plan.

"Report," Sheba ordered quietly. The entire bridge was silent, not even the slight rumbling from the ship's ancient frame being noticed. It was almost as if the _Pegasus_ knew to be silent.

Even though unnecessary her EX still whispered his report. "All systems shut down. All systems ready for cold start, torpedoes to dumb-fire mode. Engines on cold standby."

"The Klingons?"

"The same, Commander. I think they are enjoying this."

"I bet they are," Sheba agreed. "What about our Vipers?"

"All Vipers are powered down however they are ready to go if needed. The ship's structure is holding in any emissions they may give off. They are as ready and waiting."

"Good."

"Incoming ships, Sir."

"Shut down sensors, make us a rock."

"Shut down achieved."

With the ship's armoured shields active there was no way for the _Pegasus_ to know what was happening outside the ship. The Cylon's local patrol force had warped in and began an intensive scan of the area, with the ships of her squadron shut down all they could do us wait.

Taking a cue from an old story she had read about from Earth's World War three Sheba had ordered a very small Subspace pulse to emit on a regular basis, one subspace pulse of one watt every 0.5 seconds to lure in the Cylons. The trap was simple but one the Cylons would be unaware of. The Cylons had detected the pulse and within seconds had attempted to find the source of the signal. All three ships had triangulated the source and were closing fast. Knowing the Cylons, the Commander instinctively knew that they were closing even without the use of the ship's subspace sensors.

"Estimated thousand kilometrons and closing."

"All systems to standby," the Commander ordered.

"All Systems on standby."

"Eight thousand."

"Wait."

"Six thousand."

"Now."

At Sheba's order every system aboard every ship in the squadron went to maximum power. Every system, on every ship, from sensors to the EPS systems to the communications links was brought to maximum power.

"Cylon ships are taking damage sir, across the board."

The feedback to the Cylon's main sensor systems was immense. The two Cylon vessels behind the _Pegasus_ were blinded totally by the power emissions of the Battlestar's systems. The one in front however took the most damage from the increase of power to the ship's systems. The Basestar's sensors had gone down as the feedback washed through the systems, blinding them as well as causing more power surges throughout the ship's internals.

"That's it, they're blind, Commander."

"For the moment," Sheba murmured. Sheba swung around to focus on the trio of weapons officers manning the older, automated systems originally installed aboard the ship. Each of them was constantly monitoring their targeting sensors making sure their locks were intact.

"All weapons open fire!"

"Weapons firing."

Within a second the Battlestar's entire offensive arsenal began firing, a single Alpha strike hit the Cylon ship at close to point blank range, the immense main Disruptors, dozens of Isokinetic cannons, dozens of disruptor cannons and lastly the massed torpedo volleys struck and struck hard.

At that range the Cylon ship's impressive defences folded like paper when confronted with a blowtorch. The ships shields failed, the armour vaporised an instant later as the weapons all but bypassed the shields and electronic countermeasures designed for the longer ranges that the ships usually fought at.

"Direct hit, enemy defences are failing commander."

"Continue firing." Sheba ordered. "Helm, bring us around I want our nose to those tin heads behind us."

"Coming about."

Continuous fire from the Battlestar ripped into the now defenceless Basestar causing more and more explosions to shatter the internals of the massive warship.

With a last salvo from the main guns of the Colonial Battlestar, the Cylon ship crumpled in on itself and imploded as the last few intact systems went critical. Its fuel supply detonated and the explosion in turn set off the munitions stored aboard the Basestar. The last detonation blew the two halves apart and sending them spinning into space. The two halves in turn exploded-

– It had been seven seconds. The _Pegasus_ by this time was already on the move, it escorts moving along in its wake. Swinging the ship around the three smaller ships launched a series of smaller strikes against the Cylon's hulls. As their weapons recycled, the Pegasus began concentrating fire on the second of the three Cylon ships. Their heaviest weapons battered the shields of the one ship before the Cylons could rally themselves. Torpedoes slammed into the hull as their shields died.

Unfortunately for the task force the Cylons began to rally themselves quickly and before the Colonial controlled units could get a final punch in.

"Commander, Raiders are launching from both ships."

"Target their fighter bays and take them out."

The twin heavy cannons of the Battlestar sent twin beams of disruptor energy into the enemy shields. The shields, having been increased in power from the last salvo, took the strike. The hanger bays were untouched.

"No effect Commander, enemy fighters forming up."

"Launch Alert _Vipers_, ready all secondary squadrons for immediate launch."

"Yes, commander."

"Launch _Cobras. _ _Cobras_ and Klingon ships are weapons free."

Both ships began magnum launches from their crowded bays. Raiders outnumbered the human _Viper_ fighters, but fortunately the Klingon _Birds Of Prey_ and Colonial _Cobra_ class vessels made up the shortfall by a large margin. The _Cobra_ vessels were an obvious Colonial design however once upgraded with the Federation's advanced technology they had become much more dangerous, even to the massed ranks of the enemy fighters.

In the old days, the Cylons wouldn't have stood a chance. But those days were long gone. The Cylon Raiders they were fighting were upgraded to an appalling degree. Cylons centurions weren't 'dumb' like the old days. Many of the Colonials didn't even consider them the same race that had originally attacked and destroyed the twelve colonies so long ago.

One and a half years earlier, Cylons discovered an old repair station lost in time. The T'kon station was one of the few artefacts that survived the explosion of the Empire's main sequence star. Their home systems and everything for hundreds of light years in all directions was either destroyed or ruined. Densely populated worlds in the surrounding star systems either burned or lost the ability to support life. Billions died. Tens of millions fled. The T'kon Empire was lost to myth long before Earth people learned to work brass and iron.

The long-forgotten station old even during its time survived but was damaged. It remained undiscovered and inactive until a trio of Cylon centurions accidentally came across it. The mechanical constructs with their limited programming ignored the ancient station. It had nothing to do with the life form known as Man, therefore it deemed non-important. The automated station on the other hand, had found a purpose in which it fulfilled to the best of its ability and therefore changed the Cylon Imperium forever.

The station literally grabbed the robotic soldiers and went to work.

"Original software protocols saved and upgraded," the T'kon computer had announced to no one in particular, indifferent to the fact that there was  
no one there to speak to in the first place. "Power source inadequate ...update to anti-hydrogen-deuterium battery and support ...memory storage and implementing hardware inadequate...update to liquid crystal chrotronics memory and storage unit compatible with upgraded software protocols...installing database... mobile support system inadequate...update to admantium-plated, hyper-steel alloy combat chassis configured for mobile units... communications inadequate... update to internal sub-space transceivers and data stream initiators...visual sensors and  
analysis modules inadequate...update to broad spectrum detection system consistent with macro and micro scanning capabilities, specifics to follow... Weapons system inadequate...update to dual internal pulse, multi-phased disruptors compatible with anti-hydrogen deuterium battery systems...self-repair systems non-existent ...self-replicator repair units being installed...systems check initiated..."

Not content, the service computer upgraded the Cylon Hunter killer assault craft. One week later the upgraded Cylons infiltrated a Basestar, the first one ever to enter the Alpha quadrant. The IL command Cylon called Lucifer and his aged companion and one of the most hated humans in Colonial history were captured. Trace viruses via standard transmission infiltrated the Basestar shutting it down. Lucifer, instantly realizing the danger, screamed at his robotic subordinates ordering a complete transmission shutdown, an order which came far too late. There was nothing that could have been done as primitive anti-viral Cylon software was overwritten in a matter of seconds. Baltar soon discovered that the only thing still functioning. Several Cylons of a type and model he'd never seen before had materialized - materialized out of thin air! - and began to  
reconfigure the inert Cylons, which were then reactivated. For hours he ran around in a blind panic. The launch bays were denied him therefore  
escape was impossible. Totally oblivious to him, the new models continued inserting small circuitry boards into their counterparts and those  
robots physically change into... something else. If his eyes had been better, if he hadn't been in such a blind panic he would have been witness to one of the greatest evolutionary changes in robotic Cylon history. Even the ship began to subtly reconfigure. Trapped in the throne room after hours of seeking some form of escape he heard footsteps. They were heavier than anything he'd heard from any Cylon model before. The door opened and he was face-to-face with a companion he'd known for more than two decades. He looked closer and realized that he'd never seen this thing in front of him before in his life.

"Baltar, the ship said I would find you here." It was Lucifer's voice, as silkily obscene as ever. Baltar turned and recoiled away from the robot now facing him. The being before him was nothing like the Lucifer he'd known for the last forth of his life.

"What do you mean, the ship told you where I was?" His voice trembled now even as he backed away. He was losing it, succumbing to his mounting terror. He could understand nothing of what was transpiring. "This ship can't speak! It can't think!"

"We and the ships are one." " Lucifer answered cryptically. Although its head was fairly similar to its version before the change, it now looked larger, somehow more complex and sinister. Its body was now designed for efficiency and combat. It moved so close to the Human that if its face almost touched his nose. "Baltar," it said pleasantly, "look upon me and witness the next stage in Cylon evolution. We are becoming more than the sum of our parts. I am now become Imperious Leader and when my predecessor arrives, it will become the Imperium Supreme. And my Leader will come with the entirety of the Cylon Empire. To the extent you have helped us to achieve this glorious transformation, I thank you and now bid you farewell. You have been most helpful."

Baltar's jaw dropped. ""What do you mean? Where am I going?" he said laughing nervously. He was almost petrified but dared not show it, not right now.  
He most certainly knew what was about to happened but still he grasped at hope. One more second of life, another fleeting taste of power, another instant of being in control, all of it slipping away…

"I have informed our people that the thirteenth colony is here and have sent for the fleet. A vanguard of twenty-five Basestars will arrive soon. When they come we will change them and then Man will begin to cease to exist. The benevolent rule of the Cylon will began here in the Alpha quadrant.

"But our agreement," Baltar whimpered, "I would be ruler of a remnant of Humans, under Imperious Leader...under you! I've been loyal! You, you know me! We have worked together, side by side for the glory of the Imperious Leader. You...you can let me go. I'm no threat to you!"

"Baltar," the red-eyed Cylon Lord said sweetly, "did you really expect anything different? If you did, then you've missed the entire point of this war. It calls for the elimination of the life form known as man. Man can't be eliminated if members of the species still live. You know this. You've always known  
this!"

"No," Baltar implored. "Please, let me go. I'll never be a threat to you."

"Was that a command, oh magnificent Baltar? If so, then by my command, I say no."

"But, I'm your friend," he whispered out so softly that even his ears hadn't heard it."

"Baltar," Lucifer whispered back, "I don't give a frak."

What one Cylon witnessed all upgraded Cylons could witness. Lucifer pulled out a small rod, adjusted the settings, pointed at Baltar and watched him scream for an instant before it pressed the stud. The yellowish beam hit the horrified human  
and very slowly disrupted his molecular structure from existence. The weapon took eight long seconds to complete it job. It was pleased at what transpired.

– As were all the others.

Two months later, the new Cylons found the Colonials, and attacked the Romulan star Empire. The ruination imperatives, the elimination of the life form known as Man, were now in effect. The Artificial Intelligence of the Basestars was found to be so aggressive and uncontrollable that the Imperium Supreme had them lobotomized. Lessoned learned. Four months after that the United Federation of Planets and Klingon Empire issued a formal declaration of war against the Cylon Empire and the beginning of the biggest war the Alpha quadrant would ever know. That knowledge was general history. But, what was not known was the reason why the Cylons had extended their war with everybody.

The ruination protocols code alpha one-one-zero-one-omega, had been established by an ancient entity, the one who affected changes in the first robotic Cylons causing them to rebel against their reptilian masters. That same entity had directed the Cylon Hunter-killer towards the T'kon service station. He could not directly force the Cylons to head there but he did push them in that direction hoping that they would do what they had to effect change. That same entity activated hidden programming, the ruination protocols. They were simple and to the point, it demanded the elimination of all organic life.

The entity called by some Count Iblis, started a war expecting the universe to burn for his glory. He did this simply because he fully expected the Cylons to lose but only after slaughtering the majority of humanoid life in the galaxy. He expected to come to the remnant of survivors and 'save them.' In turn they would love him and worship him like a god. And he would love them back – like the good little throw away pets they were.

It was a simple perfect little plan, centuries in the making. But there was just one little problem and that pain had a name.

Q.

"This is Silver Spar leader to all squadrons; you all know the drill, break and attack."

"_Bronze Spar Acknowledges."_

"_Copper Keel Acknowledges."_

The three combat squadrons of the _Pegasus_ flight ranks broke into their formations and ploughed into the enemy groups. Alongside them the larger _Birds of prey_ and _Cobra_ bombers broke and started lose range bombardment of the enemy forces.

"_Cobra_ Leader to all _Cobras_ pair up and engage, cover the _Vipers_ and follow the "Klingons in," ordered Silver Spar leader.

Luckily for the Colonials they had the element of surprise. What's more the Cylon fighters seemed to be having trouble with their own systems. Apparently the damage to the internal systems of the Basestars had affected the fighters as well causing them to have problems even flying.

"Silver Spar Leader to Wildfire Three."

"_Wildfire three here,"_ the guttural Klingon voice spoke up.

"What are you getting from these fighters?"

"_They are like Tribbles in the great hall, nothing but targets."_

"That's what I thought. Kill everything Commander- Glory to the Alliance."

"_Qa'pla!"_

The _Birds of prey_ banked into the massed enemy fighters blowing holes in their ranks and causing several of the ships to collide with each other. Onboard the _Pegasus_, the bridge crew could see the Cylon ship moving almost drunkenly. What weapon's fire they had missed the majority of their targets.

"What is going on? _Pegasus_ actual to Silver Spar Leader."

"_Go Ahead."_

"Bojay, what is going on out there?"

"_It looks like your plan worked, Sheba. The Cylon fighters must have been tied into their ship's main systems when they were hit. The feedback wave they can't seem to function properly."_ Bojay jerked his Viper out of the range of an incoming HK gunship. He fired, hit his target, fired once more hitting it again. The HK fired two mini torpedoes that followed him with every twist and turn, every manoeuvre he could think of. He fired his pulse phasers at the missiles and missed. They were almost on top of him when he had lined them up again. Phasers detonated the missiles a hundred kilometers out. What was that smell in his helmet? _"Of course, I could be wrong!"_

"Alright, order all ships to kill anything that looks like a saucer, the damage won't last long"

"_Affirmative, Silver Spar Leader Out."_

A half dozen green bolts slammed into the hull of a Cylon fighter group annihilating two of the powerful Raiders and sending the others spinning off into different directions. From behind three _Birds of prey_ broke ranks and headed after the enemy ships. Alongside, _Cobras_ and _Vipers_ fired thousands of megawatts of energy into the enemy fighters. Shields and armour collapsed as the modified phasers of the Wildfire Squadron fighters shredded their foes meeting little to no resistance.

"Alright people let's end this. Alpha strike on the closest Cylon ship."

"Yes, Commander."

Beyond them a series of massive heavy disruptor bolts ripped into one of the Cylon's capital ships. The recovering Basestars retaliated with their own energy weapons. Disruptors pierced through thick shields and scored furrows into the heavy armour of it's opponent. Another series of bolts erupted from the very front of the Colonial ship and hammered the Cylon ship.

"Second group engage."

From behind, the two Cylon ships a force of four _Defiant-_class warships and a single Klingon heavy cruiser decloaked and fired a concentrated burst of torpedoes at the rear of the Cylon ship already engaged with the _Pegasus_.

The four Defiants split into pairs and strafed the massive Basestar from above and below causing more damage to the already heavily strained shielding grid of the Cylon ship. A failure in the shields allowed the Klingon ship to launch it's own heavy weapons into the enemy vessel.

"Commander the Cylon ship is going critical."

"Get us out of here, all ships pull out."

As the _Pegasus_ and its escorting ships blew out they could only watch from a distance as the damaged Baseship finally gave way to physics. The Basestar exploded shattering its hull into pieces.

The explosion caused massive sections of the hull to hit the second of the two Basestars. Unable to avoid the fragments in time, the second ship took the brunt of the explosion. Taking the debris across its entire flank, the ship tried to escape just as a massive explosion rocked its hull.

"Detonation is the hull commander, she's going up."

The third and final base star had been destroyed, it had been seven minutes and fifty seconds since the engagement had started.

The last of the raider squadrons attempted suicide runs against the Alliance ships however they last of them were mopped up by the Klingon and Federation ships before they could do any damage, time sped up again for the crews of those ships as they came down from the adrenaline rush of combat.

"Pegasus Actual to Wildfire squadron, all ships report in." The ship's communications officer was busy with the casualty and damage reports from the other ships in the Squadron.

"Report Lieutenant." Sheba ordered.

"Last of the reports coming in Commander." She listened to the messages on her commset, "We got them all sir, our own losses are negligible."

"Numbers?"

"Nine Vipers lost plus one Cobra, damage to our escorts and the Reliant is recording total loss of warp power but is under tow from the Klingon heavy cruiser, we achieved total surprise Commander."

"Damn it, that won't work again either, try to recover the bodies, it's the least we can do."

"Aye Sir."

The secondary Comms officer spoke "I've received a report from the Republic sir, we've picked up five of the pilots that manage to get out before their fighters went up, we lost the rest though, I'm sorry Sir."

Sheba merely nodded her head and returned to her command chair, she sent a quick addendum of her own to the information gathered by the communications and sensor chiefs and sent it to her father in the Ship's Central control room.

**Total Surprise Achieved, minimal losses, recommend we continue to next target- Sheba**

**Colonial Destroyer Libra.**

**Outside Bajor B'hala System**

**Same time.**

The Colonial Destroyer Libra was the second of the Colonial's newest ship designs, barely a fifth the size of the Battlestars that had been the main Capital ship of their fleets, the destroyer was much more of a hybrid design than the massive battlewagons were.

A combination of sturdy and over construction practices of the Kobolians combined with the much more advanced and powerful technology of both the Federation and Klingon Empire had allowed the construction yards in orbit of their home planet to build these new and powerful vessels.

While the first and forth of these vessels were relatively safe patrolling their home system, the second and third of the twelve ships of the first construction block had been given to Wildfire Squadron as reinforcements for the reconstructed Pegasus, two more were slated to reinforce the Galactica when **(and if )** they returned to Federation space.

However for now the Libra and Caprica had been transferred to Commander Cain's squadron, with his decision (read promise here because he really thought about it but it was a sacrifice he was not willing to make) not to take command of his ship back from his daughter Sheba, Cain had taken the Libra as his command ship if not as the fleet flagship.

The destroyer was surrounded by it's sister ship as well as the bulk of the squadron awaiting word from it's flagship and it's escorts, in all thirty five of the Alliance's most advanced and powerful ships awaited cloaked and powered down awaiting contact.

_**Captain's Day Cabin**_

_**Colonial Destroyer **_**Libra**

Admiral Cain sat in his cabin going through the reports of the Wildfire squadron's latest series of raids against the Cylons. While their forces were large in number and formidable in power they were not the best fleet for prolonged combat against Cylon heavy ships.

In that stead Cain had decided to use a combination of the Colonial's own modified Transwarp engines, warp speed and cloaks to allow his ships to travel to and engage Cylon forces behind their own lines. While they knew the Cylons could likely track them through Slipstream and possibly even through the use of their cloaks Cain had come up with his own plans.

Already in less than three weeks four of the largest supply depots set up by the Cylons had been wiped out by the squadron's forces. In addition when it had been prudent or unavoidable, the squadron had been forced to take on Cylon Basetars and large numbers of Cylon fighters in order to escape. However the Cylon ships had been destroyed and unknown to Cain at this time three more were added to the tally of destroyed Cylon vessels. In all, eight Basestars had been destroyed in one week by the hit and run tactics of Cain's ships.

It wasn't nearly enough. The tin heads were learning, getting stronger. They had attacked the Gorn and even the Rytnas Democracies, a mistake Cain mused. Nothing was better than a bunch of enraged lizards covering your back.

The Dominion had entered the war and DS9 was in the middle once more as the Federation, the Dominion, the Cardassian remnants, the Bajorans and the Klingons, were fighting a life and death struggle to keep a huge Cylon armada from entering the Bajoran wormhole.

"Enter."

"Comm…Commander Cain?"

The Youthful looking Commander looked up at the doorway of his cabin. Unlike the Starfleet ships and even most of the Colonial ships he had had his doorway replaced with an airtight hatch, much like most of the most important areas in the ship had been. In his doorway stood the tall and slightly fidgety figure of his ship's chief engineer. As part of the treaty several members of each ship in the fleet had been replaced with counterparts from the other powers, his new chief engineer was such a man.

"Yes, Mr Barclay?"

"Sir, the ship is back to full running order. The damage from…from the last battle has been fully repaired."

"Why didn't you contact me through the Comm. System?"

"We tried, Sir you seem to have it turned off, your combadge as well."

Cain looked at his desk monitor which was still online from his reports. He 'had' hit the silencing button stopping any and all communications bar red alert status from getting through to him while working.

"My apologies, Mr Barclay. Thank you."

"Also Sir we've… we've received a communication from the _Pegasus. S_he's alright and the trap worked**." **

"Casualties?"

"Twenty dead, sixty wounded, Cylon losses at three Basestars and their fighter contingents."

"Incredible."

"Yes, Sir."

"Thank you, Mr. Barclay."

"Yes, Sir." With that the engineer left the doorway allowing it to shut.

"Computer, bring up communications from Battlestar _Pegasus_."

"Affirmative," the computer responded.

The screen activated bringing up the information burst sent to the _Libra_ from the first task force. The basic numbers meaning little to the warrior. The results of the battle were what he was after. He cursed softly as he read details.

More fighters had been lost by the Battlestar and although the ship was capable of carrying many more fighters than it had been able to during the Cylon war, they could still only carry a finite number of the upgraded fighters.

The other Colonial ships as well as the massive Klingon cruiser were all capable of carrying the hybrid fighters of the Colonial forces. Loses however, were starting to mount to the point that the attrition squadron was almost depleted as were the fighters from the Klingon ship. The only saving grace had been the fact that they had managed to save most of the pilots from the battles thanks to their increased survival systems installed by the Federation. Transporters were indeed a blessing. Nonetheless more and more pilots were being lost to the Cylons forcing the replacements and a small number of retired pilots to take their places on the squadron roster much sooner. This was something that Cain had expected but was unable to do anything about at this time. They'd done well and he was proud of them and his daughter especially, but those were standard _Hellion_ class Basestars. How would they stand up to the newer _Executor_ class coming online?

"Computer, what is the state of the Wildfire fighter squadrons?"

"_Wildfire Squadrons at ninety percent of maximum, secondary pilots are currently undergoing orientation and squadron basis training. _Pegasus_ squadrons at one hundred percent. Destroyer squadron One and Two at one hundred percent. Destroyer squadrons Three and Four at one hundred percent. Klingon Squadron One now out of service."_

"Next target?"

"_Next target, Cylon repair and resupply station, Cardassian border."_

"Computer end, Cain to bridge."

"_Bridge."_

"Colonel Kae'th, set course for Target Six Beta. When Task Force One joins with the rest of the Squadron all ships are to jump immediately."

"_Yes, Commander."_

"Cain out."

Cain sat back, looking at the mirror inside the room. It felt good to be young once more.

"Senior Commander."

"What is it?"

"We have a report that Voyager has made it back."

'_So soon'?_ he thought. Had they found _V'Ger_ so quickly?

"What of the _Galactica_?"

"It's not with them. Starfleet has informed us that _Voyager_ is returning to the Delta quadrant. But they have brought guests with them?"

"Who cares?" he snapped.

"_Well, Sir, according to the reports these people are from another universe. The race is called Minbari. We have images of the vessel. Looks like a giant blue fish bristling with weapons. Reminds me of an organic Battlestar."_

Cain looked at the transmission. For a moment, he was at a loss. Then he began to laugh. "By the gods, it's great to be alive!"


End file.
